Chase Brown vs Jeremiyah Love

“One of my concerns for rostering Chase Brown was, "are they going to add another running back?" The concerns were squashed when they didn't add anyone through free agency or the draft. With the backfield all to himself, Brown feels like an extremely safe pick. From Week 6 on, Brown was the RB7, averaging 17.3 FPPG and 100 total yards per game.”

“Chase Brown proved he was far more than just an early-down runner in 2025. His 0.23 Targets Per Route Run ranked seventh among all running backs, placing him alongside elite receiving backs like Jahmyr Gibbs, De'Von Achane, Christian McCaffrey, and Bijan Robinson.”

“Brown has been a revelation ever since emerging from his quiet rookie season. After handling just 58 touches with one touchdown in 2023, he has scored 22 touchdowns across the past two seasons. Brown finished inside the top 10 in target share among running backs last season, which is impressive enough considering he has Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to compete against for targets.”

“We already know that Joe Burrow has eyes for Chase/Higgins/Chase Brown, and everything leftover goes to Mike Gesicki.”

“Chase Brown possesses explosive traits, though he is an incumbent Bengals starter with the team already having younger talent in the backfield.”

“Even with Samaje Perine still involved, the hosts believed Brown's workload and offensive environment create legitimate top-five fantasy upside.”

“The FantasyPros crew argued that Brown's second-half breakout last season showcased his true ceiling once Cincinnati's offense stabilized around Joe Burrow. They highlighted Brown's usage as a true three-down workhorse and pointed out how heavily Zac Taylor leaned on him late in the year.”

“Brown ranked fifth in weighted opportunity share, seventh among running backs in target share at 14.5%, and evaded the ninth-most tackles in the league. His expected fantasy points per game exceeded his real-world production, meaning the efficiency was even better than the box score suggested.”

“Chase Brown is priced at RB16 in most markets, which feels like a gift given what he did in 2024 and 2025. He finished as the RB7 on a per-game basis last season, and Cincinnati didn't bring in a single meaningful threat this offseason to cut into his workload.”

“Brown offers one of the safest workloads among RB1 candidates. Cincinnati appears committed to him as the clear lead back, and his receiving role gives him a reliable weekly floor. The downside is touchdown upside.”

“RB Chase Brown is becoming extension-eligible, and could dip into the cap space created by the Bengals' recent moves.”

“Jeremiyah Love enters 2026 with the clearest path to immediate fantasy relevance among rookie running backs. The Cardinals spent premium draft capital to make him the centerpiece of their backfield. Love enters the league with three-down credentials. He forced 22% missed tackles, posted a 16% explosive run rate and averaged 3.92 yards after contact at Notre Dame, while adding legit receiving chops that give him a built-in PPR floor.”

“Love is currently ranked as the RB13, ahead of players like Kyren Williams, Breece Hall and Josh Jacobs. All three veteran alternatives have proven they have what it takes to be elite NFL players.”

“Love joins an incredibly crowded backfield with the Cardinals, with James Conner, Tyler Allgeier, Trey Benson and Bam Knight on the depth chart. Even operating under the assumption that Arizona releases or cuts Benson and Knight, that still leaves Love with an uphill battle to climb, and a limited number of potential carries.”

“Love was always going to be the top pick in dynasty rookie drafts, regardless of his NFL landing spot. Unfortunately, the Cardinals were the worst of the four potential landing spots for the former Notre Dame star, as he will play behind a poor offensive line and for a team that will likely have to throw at a high rate in 2026.”

“For redraft, treat Love as a high-end RB2 with RB1 upside. The ADP is fair. You are not getting a discount, but you are not paying a premium either, and that is what we want from rookies as a rule.”

“The Cardinals then, surprisingly, selected blue-chip prospect Jeremiyah Love with the No. 3 overall pick, relegating Allgeier to a timeshare at best.”

“Jeremiyah Love is the clear RB1 with true three-down upside, rare receiving ability and the profile of a franchise cornerstone. In this class, talent scarcity outweighs position scarcity, making Love the obvious choice at 1.01.”

“If you take Jeremiyah Love at pick 19 on Fantrax, instead of pick 26 (his consensus ADP), consider the players you are skipping to roster a rookie with an uncertain role in 2026. Love certainly could come in and dominate in his rookie season, but we know that Tyler Allgeier and James Connor are on the roster, and this offense is in flux, with a quarterback battle still to come.”

“Arizona went out and drafted Notre Dame superstar RB Jeremiyah Love with the No. 3 overall pick. Love comes with a prospect pedigree in the same tier as Saquon Barkley or Ashton Jeanty. With that kind of top-three draft capital, he is going to command a heavily featured, ground-and-pound role right out of the gate.”

“Jeremiyah Love is going as the RB9 on MFL, and while he has the talent to be a top running back in the NFL, this is a lofty goal for the rookie. He's entering a situation where many running backs will compete for touches, including Tyler Allgeier, James Conner, and Trey Benson, which is just way too much investment in a player on a bad team with other legitimate running back talent around him.”

“While Arizona has a crowded backfield, that won't be the case when the season starts. James Conner and Trey Benson will be on other teams, leaving Tyler Allgeier as Love's only meaningful competition. Expect Love to produce enough in the passing game to make him far and away the top-scoring rookie running back.”

“Jeremiyah Love is younger and more talented than James Conner or Tyler Allgeier, but assuming that he stands to immediately inherit the lion's share of touches out of the gate is risky, and short-yardage and goal-line work is a major question mark for Love given Allgeier and Conner are both more powerfully built players.”