Chase Brown’s 2025 season looks even better thanks to one advanced stat

We have, and will continue to wax poetically about how good a running back Chase Brown is for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Now, thanks again to Fantasy Points Data, we have yet another picture of how good Brown was in 2025 despite not having a lot of room, physically and metaphorically, to perform.

And as they chronicle, the offensive line is critical to a good and consistent rushing attack. However, when the running back is getting hit in the backfield, that does not habitually foretell success for the rushers. 

Chase Brown has entered the chat.

Slow starts don’t slow Chase Brown 

One of the reasons that Zac Taylor’s offenses get off to slow starts to the season is due to the poor play of the offensive line at the beginning of the season. 

To his credit, he and the coaching staff usually figure things out, albeit much too late in the past several seasons. 

However, while we mostly concentrate on Joe Burrrow taking too many hits and sacks, the rushing attack also suffers.  

Nevertheless, in 2025, another slow start to the offensive line figuring things out did not preclude Brown from having a career season. 

Advanced metrics show how special Brown was in 2025

Brown finished the 2025 season with career highs in rushing and receiving yards, totaling 1456 yards and 11 total touchdowns. 

Brown ranked 11th overall in the NFL in yards from scrimmage and eighth among running backs. And he did so while getting hit a lot in the backfield. 

According to Fantasy Points Data, last season, Brown was one of only two running backs, Christian McCaffrey being the other, who averaged less than 2 yards before contact per attempt and still finished in the top 10 of fantasy football, PPR formats.

Not only did Brown have to contend with getting hit in the backfield, but he had to overcome Taylor’s refusal to run the ball. 

Imagine if Zac Taylor gave a concerted effort to run

Some of us have been kicking and screaming to get the head coach and de facto offensive coordinator Zach Taylor to run the ball more. That could be one of the major keys to Cincinnati's success in 2026.

However, Taylor's almost refusal to run the ball more is why we suggested that, in the event Dan Pitcher takes another job elsewhere, offensive line coach Scott Peters deserves a long look, as he would likely be more inclined to an increased rushing attack than any of the other viable or logical replacements. 

Other than Mike McDaniel, that is, before he took the OC job with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Drafting a running back at No. 10 would be a mistake for the Bengals

Believe it or not, some Bengals fans and media would not mind the team selecting a running back with the 10th overall pick. 

We’ve already discussed why, while Jeremiyah Love might be an outstanding prospect, the Bengals selecting him in the first round would not be the best of ideas. 

The Bengals and Zac Taylor drafting a running back in the first round would be a waste, given how little they want to run the ball. 

Furthermore, Cincinnati already has an RB who finished eighth among all backs in yards from scrimmage. 

The Bengals need better run-blocking linemen ahead of another RB

But if the Bengals do take that unadvisable route, Love would have to contend with the same set of problems as Brown did when facing slow OL starts and getting hit in the backfield. 

Then, we would all have to cross our fingers that Love, or any other running back, could come out on the positive side of things, as Brown has. 

It would be wiser for the team to concentrate on offensive linemen who could anchor the rushing attack rather than another back who will get hit in the backfield.

After all, as Fantasy Points Data points out, Brown was one of only two exceptions to the rule in 2025 of running backs who found success while getting hit fewer than 2.0 yards before contact per attempt.