Brown rushed five times for 10 yards and brought in his only target for no gain in the Bengals' 17-14 preseason loss to the Buccaneers on Saturday night. He also returned one kickoff for 26 yards. With Zack Moss (illness) sidelined, Brown got the starting nod and saw a hefty workload on the opening possession. Brown logged three straight carries starting with the second play from scrimmage, with his game-long run of six yards coming on the final touch in that sequence. The second-year back added a five-yard gain later in the drive, and he's projected to handle what will presumably be a markedly larger volume of touches than the 58 he logged across 12 regular-season games as a rookie while sharing the backfield with the departed Joe Mixon.
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Status
ACTIVELatest Chase Brown news
Team
Cincinnati Bengals
Birthdate
3/21/2000 (24)
Status
Active
HT/WT
5'10", 211 lbs
Draft Info
2023: Rd 5; Pk (CIN)
Birthplace
London, ON, CAN
Position
RB
College
Illinois
Experience
2 seasons
Career History
Cincinnati Bengals
2023-Present
(2 seasons)
Brown rushed five times for 10 yards and brought in his only target for no gain in the Bengals' 17-14 preseason loss to the Buccaneers on Saturday night. He also returned one kickoff for 26 yards. With Zack Moss (illness) sidelined, Brown got the starting nod and saw a hefty workload on the opening possession. Brown logged three straight carries starting with the second play from scrimmage, with his game-long run of six yards coming on the final touch in that sequence. The second-year back added a five-yard gain later in the drive, and he's projected to handle what will presumably be a markedly larger volume of touches than the 58 he logged across 12 regular-season games as a rookie while sharing the backfield with the departed Joe Mixon.
Brown took a majority of first-team reps during the first three practices of training camp, Charlie Clifford of NBC 5 Cincinnati reports. Free-agent signee Zack Moss is healthy and also getting some first-team work, but apparently not quite as much as Brown, a 2023 fifth-round pick who averaged 8.8 touches for 53.7 yards over the final six weeks of last season. It was a promising finish to his rookie year, with the stipulation that Brown's production came from a few big plays rather than snap-to-snap consistency (he also played only eight snaps on offense before Week 13). There are some other positives in his profile, including a 4.43 40-yard dash (at 5-foot-10, 209 pounds) and a senior season at Illinois with 355 touches for 1,883 yards and 13 TDs. The question now is whether Brown shows enough skill development to earn a starting job over the steady-but-boring Moss.
Brown appears primed to work as the top backup to Zack Moss following the 2024 NFL Draft, Paul Dehner of The Athletic reports. The Bengals didn't select a single running back across 10 picks in this year's draft, so even if the team brings in a handful of talented UDFAs, Brown looks like a notable winner for fantasy purposes. He flashed across 12 appearances as a rookie last season, and while Moss' experience with a large workload and on third downs may make him the favorite for the No. 1 role, Brown's short-area burst could make him an effective complementary option. If Brown can put together a solid offseason and push for increased touches, he could be an interesting late-round sleeper in 2024 drafts.
Brown bumps up to the No. 2 spot on Cincinnati's depth chart behind Zack Moss, with Joe Mixon in line to be traded to the Texans, DJ Bien-Aime of ESPN reports. Brown earned a larger role in Cincinnati's offense during the second half of his rookie season, securing the No. 2 gig for himself during the final six games of the campaign, but he ended the year with just 44 carries for 179 yards, plus 14 catches for 156 yards and a score. Though Moss is coming off an impressive season in Indianapolis, Brown could offer him real competition for touches, depending on what other additions the Bengals make to the running back depth chart.
Brown was nearing the end of his 21-day window to be activated before this move. He is now on the active roster, but it remains to be seen if he will be active for Sunday's tilt against the Steelers. When healthy, he is expected to provide depth at running back while also being an option to contribute on special teams.
Brown will need to be activated from injured reserve by 4 p.m. ET on Saturday to play Sunday. The rookie running back had his 21-day window to return from injured reserve opened Monday and subsequently participated fully in all three of Cincinnati's practices. If he's activated for Sunday's game, Brown could split the opportunities behind Joe Mixon with Trayveon Williams and Chris Evans in a Bengals offense that may become more run-heavy after Joe Burrow's season-ending wrist injury.
Head coach Zac Taylor noted via Geoff Hobson of the Bengals' official site Friday that Brown picked up the injury in practice earlier in the week. He'll be forced to sit out for the next four games and will be eligible to return against the Steelers on Nov. 26. In the meantime, Trayveon Williams and Chris Evans will be in line for an increased workload behind starter Joe Mixon.