Bengals OC Dan Pitcher labels Chase Brown a top 10 NFL running back

The Cincinnati Bengals offense is absolutely loaded. Joe Burrow led the league in passing yards and passing touchdowns last season. Ja'Marr Chase won the receiving triple crown. Tee Higgins is regarded as one of the best No. 2 receiver options in the NFL and the new tight end combo of Mike Gesicki and Noah Fant could be a fun one to watch. 

Cincinnati also has a top 10 running back in Chase Brown, at least according to Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher. 

"I believe Chase Brown is a top-10 back in the league," Pitcher said, via the Associated Press. "Certainly, you don't want to burn the guy out. You also want to make sure your most explosive players are on the field and ready to touch the ball as many times as possible."

Brown eventually emerged as Joe Mixon's replacement last season after Zack Moss began the year as Cincinnati's starter. He rushed for 990 yards and seven touchdowns while averaging 4.3 yards per attempt, and also caught 54 passes for 360 yards and four more touchdowns. Brown ended 2024 on a heater before suffering an ankle injury that knocked him out of the regular-season finale, as he ranked No. 6 in RB fantasy points from Weeks 9-18.

Chase Brown Weeks 9-18 last season

Brown is CBS Sports' No. 9-ranked fantasy running back entering this season, and listed above a few notable names such as James Cook, Bucky Irving and Kyren Williams. 

Cincinnati selected the Ontario native in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Illinois. He appeared in just 12 games as a rookie and recorded 335 yards from scrimmage plus one touchdown, but flashed as a dual-threat back this past season. If you're in a PPR league, Brown offers even more upside, as his 54 receptions last season ranked No. 5 among all running backs.