Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown had a solid year in 2025, continuing to lock down the lead-back role in Joe Burrow’s offense.
Brown went up over the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career in the process, averaging 4.4 yards per carry with six rushing scores and 69 catches with another five scores as a receiver.
There are plenty of rankings out there analyzing the running back position, but one is more notable than others.
Former NFL running back Maurice Jones-Drew ranked the league’s top players at the position and put Brown 16th:
“Brown registered career highs in carries, rush yards, targets, receptions and TD receptions in 2025. He’s a dynamic player but deserves more touches in Cincinnati’s pass-heavy offense. The Bengals ranked in the bottom four of the league in carries and rushing. I would love to see them play with a little more balance and get Brown, who posted 10 games with at least 90 scrimmage yards since Week 7, more attempts.”
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Nice praise from MJD, whose commentary about being more balanced will probably have most Bengals fans nodding in agreement.
Brown overcame quarterback shifts and tougher looks than usual while backup passers got starts in 2025. But his ability to produce and the overall effectiveness of the balanced attack when Joe Flacco took snaps makes a strong case for the 2026 offense to go the direction MJD wants to see.
Maybe Brown doesn’t jump much in rankings like these if that happens, but letting him balance the offensive load with Burrow even more would likely equate to a better chance of success for the unit.
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This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Former NFL RB gives Bengals’ Chase Brown notable ranking
