Who Should I Start? Zach Charbonnet or Chase Brown

Monday, January 8, 4:53 AM

Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet had his most productive game in weeks in Sunday's win over the Arizona Cardinals. The rookie took five rushing attempts 32 yards and caught both of his targets for 28 receiving yards. His receptions late in the fourth quarter advanced the Seahawks into Cardinals' territory, setting up Geno Smith's 34-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Lockett. The selection of Charbonnet in the second round of the 2023 draft sparked a debate that he might contend for the starting role but he was firmly in the backseat behind second-year running back Kenneth Walker III. It will be hard to predict what the depth chart will look like in 2024, but Charbonnet can be expected to hang on to his role as the passing down back at the least. Charbonnet's first season ends with 462 rushing yards and one touchdown gained on 108 carries and 209 receiving yards on 33 catches.

Sunday, January 7, 9:26 PM

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown had 43 yards off 11 carries in Sunday's win over the Browns. He added one catch for 10 yards. The Bengals were eliminated from playoff contention after the Week 17 loss to the Chiefs. However, Cincinnati wanted to end the year with a winning record. Brown's 11 attempts were the most of his career. Although he couldn't find the end zone for the second time this season, he still had a decent year as Joe Mixon's backup. At any rate, the 23-year-old should at least remain the No. 2 running back on the depth chart, so he'll draw interest from fantasy managers during drafts ahead of Week 1 for insurance purposes. Of course, the Bengals should strongly consider keeping Joe Mixon on the roster, even more so since he had 12 touchdowns this season. Yet, Brown's outlook could improve even more if he finds himself atop the depth chart heading into the 2024-25 campaign.