Should Bengals RB Chase Brown Have Cracked the Top 10 of ESPN's RB Rankings?

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown appeared in ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler’s annual position rankings culled from conversations with NFL executives, coaches and scouts.

Brown’s inclusion on Fowler’s list was relegated to this: “Also receiving votes.”

One could offer a similar assessment of Brown’s inclusion in the Bengals offense: Also receiving touches.

Maybe that’s a bit extreme, but it’s fair to ponder whether Brown would be viewed as a top 10 back by more personnel people simply with more volume.

Brown’s carries are limited by Zac Taylor’s offensive scheme, but also by him being relatively new on the scene, although the Nos. 1 and 2 backs on the list, Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson and Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs, also were members of the same 2023 draft class as Brown.

But Nos. 3 through 6 – Philadelphia’s Saquon Barkley (2018), Christian McCaffrey (2017), Jonathan Taylor (2020), Derrick Henry (2016) – have been around much longer and were possibly judged, at least partially, on past greatness.

Regardless of whether that’ the case, no one is going to but Brown ahead of any of those guys, even if it’s based 100 percent on the 2025 season and 2026 projections.

But did Brown deserve a spot somewhere in the 7-10 range?

Those spots went to Buffalo’s James Cook, Miami’s Devon Achane, Kansas City’s Kenneth Walker and the New York Jets’ Breece Hall.

The honorable mention nods went to Green Bay’s Josh Jacobs, the Los Angeles Rams’ Kyren Williams and Cleveland’s Quinshon Judkins, a 2025 rookie.

Here’s were the top 10 and honorable mentions rank in terms of total rushing attempts since 2024, compared to Brown, who was 461.

Derrick Henry 632

Jonathan Taylor 626

Saquon Barkley 625

Bijan Robinson 591

Kyren Williams 575

Josh Jacobs 535

James Cook 516

Jahmyr Gibbs 493

Chase Brown 461

Breece Hall 452

De’Von Achane 441

Kenneth Walker 374

Christian McCaffrey 361

Quinshon Judkins 230

Rankings ninth of 14 on the list puts Brown at a disadvantage, but it’s not accurate to say he would have made the top 10 had he been given more touches.

Let’s also look at where he ranks in yards per rushing attempt among the group.

Derrick Henry 5.56

Jahmyr Gibbs 5.34

De’Von Achane 5.12

James Cook 5.10

Saquon Barkley 5.03

Bijan Robinson. 4.96

Jonathan Taylor 4.82

Kyren Williams 4.44

Chase Brown 4.36

Breece Hall 4.29

Kenneth Walker 4.28

Josh Jacobs 4.22

Christian McCaffrey 3.89

Quinshon Judkins 3.60

Again, Brown comes in ninth.

His 2,009 yards rank 10th among the group of 14.

And his 2,806 scrimmage yards rank 10th.

Brown’s 123 receptions rank fourth, trailing only Achane (145), Robinson (140) and Gibbs (129).

Using more subjective metrics from Pro Football Focus, Brown ranked sixth in average yards after contact (3.06) in 2025.

Among all running backs with at least 150 carries last year, he ranked 17th. And in 2024 he was 14th.

He was ninth of 14 on the list in missed tackles forced in 2024, and 15th among all backs with 45).

In 2025, he had 46, which ranked 11th among the 14 and 15th among all backs.

You could argue Brown should have received honorable mention ahead of Judkins, but otherwise, he appears to be slotted where he should be.

He could change that in 2026 with another big performance during a contract year.

Brown had 229 carries in 2024 and 232 last year. That number could grow this season if the Bengals are playing with the lead in the fourth quarter a lot more than playing catch up, as was the case most of last year.

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