Who Should I Start? James Cook III or Chase Brown

Friday, July 3, 5:13 AM

It took Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown until Week 7 of the 2025 season to post a weekly fantasy finish inside the top 20, but from that point forward, he never looked back. Brown finished as the RB19 or better in each of his final 11 games, only twice finishing outside the top 15. The team's mid-season trade for veteran quarterback Joe Flacco helped to steady a faltering offense without three-time Pro Bowler Joe Burrow, and Brown was perhaps the biggest benefactor, finishing as the RB7 from that point forward. With Burrow at full health and Flacco back under contract to back him up, Brown's high floor remains very much intact, while a projected philosophical shift could help to raise his ceiling in 2026. Brown was one of the league's most explosive runners when the team went under center, but with the Bengals ranking 31st in the league in that category, he rarely had the opportunity to take advantage. Reports out of minicamp have suggested that the team could mix in more under-center runs, and even a modest increase, along with the offensive consistency allowed by the presumed health at quarterback, could have Brown flirting with a top-five finish. Heading into the year, he is RotoBaller's RB10, and drafters should again feel comfortable making Brown their RB1 in 2026.