Should I Start Samaje Perine?

Monday, October 12, 12:48 PM

Across five games so far in 2026, Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine has recorded 171 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 34 touches. The veteran back has largely operated as the clear RB2 in Cincinnati behind Bengals RB1 Chase Brown. However, Perine played a much larger role in the Cincinnati offense in Week 4, logging 78 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on 16 touches. At 31 years old and now in his 10th NFL season, Perine may not offer fantasy managers much high-end upside. Still, Brown is currently averaging just 3.5 yards per carry and has logged just one touchdown through five games. If the Bengals start to shift more work onto Perine's plate, he could have some standalone appeal in the right matchups while playing within Cincinnati's explosive offense. In deeper fantasy league formats, Perine could be worth targeting on the waiver wire coming out of Week 5.