Admin November 5, 2024
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Sports Seriously
The phone lines are open, and the Bengals came calling. With around seven hours remaining until the NFL’s trade deadline, Cincinnati is on the board with its first trade of the day.
In a move confirmed by confirmed by USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon, the Bengals have traded a 2025 seventh-round draft pick to the Chicago Bears for the services of running back Khalil Herbert. It marks a change of scenery for the 26-year-old running back and the addition of some much-needed depth in the Bengals backfield.
After trading Joe Mixon last offseason, the Bengals opted instead to sign the veteran Zack Moss to share the workload with Chase Brown. While Mixon has thrived in Houston, Cincinnati hasn’t been able to truly replace him. Brown is coming off the best game of his career but suffered a bruised rib against the Raiders in Week 9. Considering the lack of options behind him on the depth chart, a move became necessary.
Cincinnati solved an issue without paying a high price. Chicago secured a draft pick for a player who wore street clothes instead of pads on Sundays.
Bengals RB depth chart
With Zack Moss sidelined with a neck injury, Chase Brown has received most of the workload. For the second-year running back, that would likely be unsustainable for the remainder of the season. While Brown should retain his RB1 role, Herbert should slot in nicely as the backup. Here’s a look at how the Bengals depth chart should break down following the Herbert trade:
Chase Brown fantasy outlook
Thanks to Moss’ inefficiency early in the season, Brown began taking over the backfield even before the injury sidelined the veteran. A capable runner and pass-catcher, the 24-year-old Brown shouldn’t struggle to maintain his role in the Cincinnati offense. While Herbert could vulture some touchdowns at the goal line, his arrival shouldn’t change things too much. Brown remains on the RB1 radar until proven otherwise.
Khalil Herbert fantasy outlook
Getting a capable backup to Brown was a move the Bengals had to make in the aftermath of the Moss injury. Herbert, the odd man out in Chicago, was the victim of a numbers game with the Bears. He was healthy scratched for the last two games in a crowded backfield. The 26-year-old is in the last year of his rookie contract and has been a serviceable runner when active. Ultimately, it wasn’t enough to maintain the starting gig with the Bears, who opted to sign D’Andre Swift in free agency and draft Roschon Johnson over the last two seasons. Herbert’s arrival brings some much-needed depth to Cincinnati, but that’s where his impact likely ends. Keep the running back on waivers in fantasy leagues.