Analyze Chase Brown's matchup for week 10
Brown handled a career-high 32 touches, scored again, and caught nine balls, so the costly fumble doesn’t dent his every-week RB2 value.
Baltimore’s front limited him to 3.2 YPC but conceded nine receptions to backs entering the week, and the Bengals countered by funneling short-area targets to Brown once they fell behind. The Ravens’ LB corps is athletic but can be stretched horizontally, which is why Brown’s 52 receiving yards were the 3rd-most by any back versus Baltimore this year. Expect another 20-plus touch script—Cincinnati wants to ride him in negative or neutral game scripts, and the Ravens’ offense keeps games close enough for that plan to hold.
Seven total TDs in his last seven games, 20-plus touches in two of the past three, and a career-best nine catches last week—his role is still climbing.
Volume is the lifeblood of fantasy backs, and Brown just logged 32 opportunities on a short week—only seven backs have hit 30 touches in a game this season. That usage came immediately after a costly fumble, a strong signal that the coaching staff views him as offense-critical, not merely a hot-hand play. Cincinnati has quietly morphed into a 55-percent 11-personnel team on early downs, keeping Brown on the field for passing downs and goal-line work; the result is a 74-percent snap share since Week 7, top-eight among all backs. Baltimore entered Week 10 allowing the 10th-fewest rushing yards per game, but they’ve already yielded 55 receptions to opposing backfields—fifth-most—because their two-high safety looks invite check-downs. Offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher exploited that, turning five of Brown’s nine grabs into first downs and keeping the offense on schedule. Even with a middling 3.2-YPC rushing line, Brown’s 0.68 fantasy points per opportunity ranked 11th in Week 10; the efficiency is creeping upward as the line gels and Brown’s contact balance improves (he’s averaging 2.4 yards after contact over the last month, up from 1.8 in September). Regression could add more big runs: per PFF, he’s had six carries of 10-plus yards called back by penalty this year, most in the league. Schedule-wise, the upcoming Chargers and Steelers fronts both rank bottom-10 in rushing success rate, giving Brown a pathway to maintain RB2 value even if game script flips. Bottom line—he’s locked into high-leverage touches, the touchdowns keep coming, and the fumble looks like noise rather than a pattern. Fire him up as a rock-solid RB2 with weekly top-15 upside in PPR formats.