Who Should I Start? James Cook or Chase Brown

Monday, May 4, 6:01 AM

For the third time in his young career, Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown has to be listed among the dynasty offseason winners after the team added no competition through either free agency or the NFL Draft. A fifth-round pick in 2023, Brown earned the Bengals' RB1 spot by the start of his second season, and after back-to-back top 12 finishes, he is once more in line to handle a bellcow role on one of the league's most potent offenses. Like many of his Bengals teammates, the third-year back struggled in the early stages of 2025, held back by shoddy quarterback play as Joe Burrow missed nine games with a Grade 3 turf toe injury, but by the end of the season, Brown was a legitimate fantasy league-winner. After failing to reach 50 rushing yards through any of his first six games, Brown paced as the RB6 over the final 12 weeks of the season, good enough for an overall RB8 finish. Yet, with the constant perceived threats to his job security, he heads into his age-26 season as RotoBaller's dynasty RB13. While the price to acquire is by no means cheap, especially with his value back on the rise following another quiet Bengals draft, Brown could be the exact piece needed to push contending managers into title contention.