:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72210361/usa_today_19907514.0.jpg)
The Cincinnati Bengals drafted Brown with the 163rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He currently will sit behind Joe Mixon, but his off-the-field issues could see his time come to an end in Cincy. If that happens, Brown would battle for the starting gig with Trayveon Williams and Chris Evans.
Illinois Fighting Illini running back Chase Brown began his college football career with the Western Michigan Broncos and put together a fantastic college season as he gets ready for what he hopes to be a productive NFL career.
Brown was a true workhorse last season with 328 carries for 1,643 yards for 5.0 yards per carry, and he scored 10 touchdowns on the ground. He also caught 27 passes for 240 yards with three receiving touchdowns.
Chase Brown: Scouting Report
Brown’s final college season played a huge role in his NFL stock as plenty of his traits should translate to the pros. He proved he can handle a significant workload with a ton of carries last season, and his strengths come between the tackles with a strong cutting ability to elude defenders.
Among the cons in Brown’s game, he fumbled too often in college, and his tackle-breaking ability needs work. If he can finish through contact and improve as a pass blocker, that will be huge for what he can provide teams at the next level.
Mock Draft landing spots
CBS has Brown headed to the Raiders in the sixth round, The Athletic has him going to the Bears in the fifth, and NFL.com sees him in Chicago as early as the fourth.
Fantasy football implications
Depending on where he goes, Brown could have immediate value, especially from what he showed last season, and he can handle a big workload right away. He’s a tremendous athlete and in the right situation, he could have a role in an offense as a rookie. If that happens, he’s worth a look in fantasy football formats.
Brown, an Illinois grad, would be a fun fit in Chicago, and would likely quickly see time in the backfield. His strengths don’t lie in quarterback protection, so there’s not much risk that he would fall into the fantasy trap of playing a lot and getting very few carries as they use him to block. Behind the Bears’ dismal offensive line, he may be a fantasy risk but would work in some plays behind D’Onta Foreman and Khalil Herbert.
If he drops to later rounds, he may not be much of a fantasy option — for instance, a sixth-round pick for the Raiders isn’t exactly lighting up the boards. However, if a team sees his value early on, he could be a legitimate fantasy prospect this season.