Brooks rushed six times for 22 yards, brought in his only target for minus-6 yards, returned one kickoff for 37 yards and lost a fumble in the Bengals' 30-13 preseason win over the Eagles on Friday.
The 2025 sixth-round pick got the start for the Bengals and touched the ball on Cincinnati's first two plays from scrimmage, netting seven yards on his first carry. Brooks subsequently fumbled the opening second-half kickoff to give the Eagles the ball at the Bengals' 43-yard line and set up a Philadelphia field goal. The relatively unremarkable night put a cap on a modest preseason for Brooks, who rushed 13 times for 49 yards, posted a 4-22-0 receiving line and ran back two kickoffs for 66 yards over three exhibitions. Brooks' biggest competitor for a depth running back/returner role, Gary Brightwell, also coughed up the ball once Friday, so it could be a proverbial coin flip between the two in terms of final cuts.
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Bengals' Tahj Brooks: Reprising depth role behind Brown
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Brooks carried three times for 16 yards and caught both of his targets for 20 yards in Saturday's preseason game against the Bears.
With Chase Brown and Samaje Perine rested in the contest, Brooks was in a Saturday starting lineup that featured reserve skill players. As the coming campaign approaches, Brooks continues to slot in behind Brown and Perine on the Bengals' unofficial depth chart, but after recording just 16 carries for 45 yards and one catch for nine yards across 16 regular-season games in 2025, some uptick in volume is plausible for the second-year player out of Texas Tech, who is also in the mix for special-teams work.
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Bengals' Tahj Brooks: Three mop-up carries
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Brooks carried the ball three times for 10 yards and had one catch for nine yards late in the Bengals' win over the Cardinals on Sunday.
Brooks didn't come into the game until late, with Joe Flacco at the helm and the Bengals protecting a four-score lead. He's had scant work all season as the Bengals' third running back.
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Bengals' Tahj Brooks: Logs full session Thursday
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Brooks (concussion) was a full participant in Thursday's practice, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports.
Brooks moved one step closer to gaining clearance from concussion protocol by his upgrade in participation Thursday. Assuming he doesn't suffer any setbacks, the reserve running back should be set to suit up behind Chase Brown and Samaje Perine for Sunday's road contest with the Bills.
Head coach Zac Taylor told reporters that Brooks (concussion) will practice in a limited fashion Wednesday, Jay Morrison of SI.com reports.
Brooks was sidelined for the Bengals' Week 13 win over the Ravens after sustaining a concussion the game prior. His limited practice session Wednesday is an encouraging sign for his return, though he still needs to clear the NFL's five-step protocol in order to suit up for Sunday's matchup against the Bills. If active for the Week 14 contest, Brooks will likely play behind both Chase Brown and Samaje Perine in Cincinnati's backfield.
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Bengals' Tahj Brooks: Possible concussion
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Brooks is being evaluated for a possible concussion and is questionable to return to Sunday's game against the Patriots.
Brooks appeared to get shaken up on the opening kickoff of the second half and is being evaluated by medical staff to determine whether he can return. With Samaje Perine (ankle) inactive, practice squad running back Gary Brightwell will provide backfield depth behind Chase Brown for as long as Brooks is out of the game.
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Bengals' Tahj Brooks: One touch against Pittsburgh
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Brooks rushed once for five yards in Sunday's 34-12 loss to the Steelers.
Brooks had a quiet day against the Steelers, handling just one rush for the second straight game. The rookie operated as the No. 2 back behind Chase Brown with teammate Samaje Perine (ankle) out, but he played just seven of the Bengals' 66 offensive snaps. Barring an injury to Brown, Brooks is nothing more than an insurance policy for fantasy purposes. Next up for Cincinnati is a Week 12 home matchup against the Patriots.
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Bengals' Tahj Brooks: First carry since Week 3
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Brooks had a carry for one yard in Sunday's loss to the Bears, which marked his first rush and even his first offensive snap since Week 3's blowout loss to the Vikings.
This only happened due to Samaje Perine's high-ankle sprain early in the loss to the Bears. Brooks has mostly been an afterthought in his rookie season, but Perine is week-to-week, so Brooks might factor in against Pittsburgh in Week 11.
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Bengals' Tahj Brooks: Limited to special teams in debut
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Brooks did not play a single offensive snap in Sunday's 17-16 win over the Browns.
Brooks was a complete nonfactor in the Bengals' season opener, failing to earn a single touch in the contest. Instead, the rookie running back was used solely on special teams, playing a total of 12 snaps with the unit. With Chase Brown taking the majority of snaps on offense and Samaje Perine operating as the team's No. 2 option, Brooks faces an uphill battle for playing time barring injuries. The Texas Tech product's next opportunity to get involved will come when the Bengals host the Jaguars in Week 2.
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Bengals' Tahj Brooks: Takes 14 touches for 56 yards
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Brooks took 11 carries for 47 yards and caught three of four targets for nine yards in a 31-17 preseason win at Washington on Monday.
The rookie sixth-round pick had 10 carries for 26 yards and one catch for three yards in the preseason opener, coming in after Chase Brown and Samaje Perine. It was a similar story Monday, with Brown taking five carries on the first drive and then calling it a night. Brooks first entered midway through the first quarter and ended up playing well into the third quarter before handing things over to Kendall Milton. Brooks appears on track for a Week 1 roster spot, and while he may not initially have a role in the game plan, he'll be needed if Brown misses time.
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Bengals' Tahj Brooks: Path to touches becomes clearer
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Brooks has clearer path to backfield work behind starter Chase Brown and Samaje Perine in the wake of Cincinnati releasing Zack Moss (neck) on Wednesday, Kelly Singh of SI.com reports.
Brooks, a rookie sixth-round pick, has reportedly put together a strong start to training camp and impressed in the receiving game, per WLWT's Jaron May. With a capable veteran such as Moss around as a No. 3 option, Brooks' path to touches nonetheless looked murky, as Brown figures to dominate opportunities while Perine is a proven change-of-pace contributor. Will Moss now a free agent, however, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 reports that Brooks has become the clear No. 3 running back. If the rookie can continue to compile momentum throughout training camp, it's conceivable he could challenge Perine for the backup role.
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Bengals' Tahj Brooks: Looks comfortable as pass catcher
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Brooks is making a strong impression with his pass-catching skills in practices, WLWT's Jaron May reports.
Bengals HC Zac Taylor and OC Dan Pitcher both praised Brooks for his pass-catching ability during the offseason program. It now seems to be carrying over to training camp, where Brooks caught three passes in the first set of full-team drills Friday. The rookie sixth-round pick is expected to compete with Zack Moss (neck) and Samaje Perine for the second and third spots on the depth chart behind returning starter Chase Brown. The praise for Brooks' pass catching is perhaps unexpected, as he had just 548 receiving yards and two TDs in five seasons at Texas Tech, compared to 4,557 yards and 45 scores on the ground. The Bengals curiously list him at 5-foot-10, 230 pounds, which is 16 pounds above his weight from the 2025 Combine (where he ran a 4.52 40).
