Ja'Marr Chase
vs Omarion Hampton

“The underlying story is a game of contrasting approaches: Cincinnati leaned on a clean, mistake-free connection between Burrow and his two clear top targets (Chase and Higgins combined for 19 of Burrow’s 31 attempts with Chase scoring both touchdowns). Burrow himself turned in a mistake-free day (0 INT, 105.2 rating) despite 5 sacks. Burrow went 20-of-31 for 207 yards and 2 touchdowns.”

“Early in the game, Chase made a highlight-reel touchdown catch, pinpointing the ball over his shoulder, then spinning around to catch it next to the pylon and tap his feet in the process. Social media rightfully went insane, oogling over the play. Chase added another touchdown reception later in the third quarter, and he led Cincinnati with seven receptions.”

“Cincy’s offensive line held up well, too, and Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase will have better days ahead, make no mistake about that. 9 — Chicago Bears (1-0, UP 3) Last week: W 59-37 vs. Carolina Panthers I don’t care what the defense looked like — put up 59 points in an NFL game and I’ll talk about you glowingly.”

“Even with that accounted for, Chase is averaging 19.9 PPG in his last 49 regular-season games. Relax, Chase will be fine. If his manager in your league is panicking, this may be your only chance to buy (somewhat) low.”

“Ja’Marr Chase is projected as the WR1 this week, with the WR1 value score at both DFS sites. In 34 games with Burrow playing at least 20 snaps since 2024, Chase has tallied 7.2 receptions per game, 91.7 receiving yards per game, 26 receiving touchdowns, 22.15 DraftKings points per game, 20.12 expected DraftKings points per game, 17.48 FanDuel points per game and 16.48 expected FanDuel points per game.”

“Mike takes the layup with Chase at the 1.03. If you are not getting one of the top RBs in Jahmyr Gibbs or Bijan Robinson, how can you go wrong with a player who has finished as WR1 and WR4 the last two seasons? Chase should be operating as the top target for a fully healthy Joe Burrow, at least to start the season, and that has always been a recipe for success.”

“To start, I went with Ja’Marr Chase. The Bengals have (at least on paper) one of the easiest schedules in the NFL this season, and Chase should have a target share of 30% or higher.”

“Chase is the WR1 in my rankings. Last year, he finished as the WR4, averaging 19.6 PPR fantasy points per game despite missing one contest with an injury and playing without Joe Burrow for half the season.”

“For two consecutive years, Chase has led the league in targets with 175 and 185, respectively. Chase also has two years with 1400 or more receiving yards, and his consistency is worth paying for.”

“While Omarion Hampton has been the lead back, he hasn’t come close to justifying his early second-round price tag over three weeks. Keaton Mitchell is eating into some of those high-value touches (not that the Chargers get many), and Hampton’s limited receiving role is capping his fantasy ceiling even further. If drafting today, I wouldn’t consider Hampton until the middle of the fourth round.”

“The Fantasy Points Data Suite also shows that, among 31 qualifying running backs, Omarion Hampton ranks 25th in yards before contact per attempt ( 1.28) and has been stuffed on 46% of his carries. It’s a nightmare for Hampton managers because Seattle hasn’t allowed a rushing touchdown in three games. The volume will be there, as Hampton commands 61.7% of the rushing attempts, but it’s hard to see him finding the end zone.”

“I have been in many situations where people have told me that they have a “great” trade offer… newsflash: fantasy managers can be remarkably persuasive when they are trying to convince you that Omarion Hampton is definitely worth the Lions defense and Brandon Aubrey . Before you accept anything, ask yourself the same basic questions we have been asking all along: Will this player actually make my team better? Would I have to get rid of one of the only reliable players that I have?”

“Hampton is still considered a borderline top-five dynasty running back in the eyes of many. Definitely don’t sell him for any less than what he’s currently worth. In player-for-player deals, I’d be happy shipping Hampton off for guys like Drake London or George Pickens .”

“Still, Omarion Hampton is an RB2 right now. No, that’s not what his redraft price tag was, and his dynasty price tag could be quite high. That said, two games in, with a shoddy offensive line and seemingly no signs of a turnaround, some owners could be hesitant.”

“Omarion Hampton ‘s 8% TPRR is worrisome for anyone who had RB1 aspirations for him.”

“There are so many disappointments here; even Omarion Hampton ’s 23 carries can not get me excited with the fumbling problem.”