Who Should I Start? Najee Harris or Chase Brown

Wednesday, September 24, 6:15 PM

The Los Angeles Chargers announced on Wednesday that they placed running back Najee Harris (Achilles) on Injured Reserve, according to Fernando Ramirez of the Sporting Tribune. Harris' season is over after he tore his Achilles in the Week 3 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday. It's a disappointing end to his first year with the Bolts after signing with them in free agency in the offseason. The 27-year-old will end his streak of four straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons to begin his career. In his three games this year, Harris carried the ball 15 times for 61 yards and no touchdowns, adding three receptions for 25 yards through the air. The Chargers will be forced to lean more on rookie first-rounder Omarion Hampton as their lead back going forward, making him a must-start each week. Hassan Haskins will be elevated to the RB2 role, with Kimani Vidal the next man up at No. 2 in the backfield.

Saturday, November 1, 12:23 PM

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown scored a touchdown in the Week 1 win over the Cleveland Browns. Unfortunately, he had more than a few miserable outings in his following appearances before finally surpassing the 100-yard rushing mark in the Thursday night win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 25-year-old then had his best performance of the 2025 campaign in the Week 8 one-point loss to the New York Jets, finding the end zone twice (one rushing, one receiving). Joe Flacco (shoulder) has the offense back on track. While there's a chance Flacco won't suit up in the Week 9 clash with the Chicago Bears, it appears he's (fortunately) trending toward playing. However, even if Jake Browning finds himself back atop the depth chart, Brown should remain a high-upside option for managers, especially with the game between the Bears and Bengals projected to be one of the highest-scoring contests on the schedule. Granted, Brown's presence in all fantasy lineups isn't without risk. That will apply regardless of who is starting at quarterback.