If you have been waiting for the right moment to pounce on a discounted running back, the Chase Brown buy low window is wide open in Week 10. Brown’s managers are fed up after another agonizing near-touchdown, and that frustration is your opportunity.
Brown's Touchdown Drought Creates a Bargain
Brown has found the end zone just once this season, and the near-misses are piling up. A week ago, a touchdown catch was wiped out. This week, he was stopped inside the 1-yard line. The result is a fed-up manager base that may be more willing to move him than at any point this year.
The underlying value remains strong. Brown profiles as a top-20 running back in PPR formats, and he should outperform options like Blake Corum, Ollie Gordon and the Jets’ backfield committee. If you are 6-3 or better and can absorb a short-term wait, Brown is the ideal target.
Drake London: A Conditional Buy
London’s Week 9 stat line was underwhelming, but context matters. He drew Cincinnati’s top cornerback, D.J. Turner, for much of the day and also attracted two pass interference penalties in the end zone. Those factors excuse the quiet output, and London remains a solid WR2 with WR1 upside.
There is a catch for anyone looking to trade for him: his next three weeks include Kansas City, a bye and Minnesota. The schedule eases considerably after that, so only teams with a comfortable record should pursue him now.
Breece Hall: Buyer Beware
Hall returned from injury and saw 18 touches, but the backfield split is a red flag. Braelon Allen handled the primary passing-down role, dominated snaps late as the Jets chased points, and took all three snaps inside the 5-yard line. That usage pattern makes Hall a trap back rather than a reliable weekly starter.
Jayden Daniels: Worry Creeping In
Daniels rushed for 103 yards against the Giants in Week 5, but has managed just 49 rushing yards in the three games since. Unless an injury is at play, that trend should correct positively. Still, there is fair concern about his ceiling without Terry McLaurin, and expectations should be tempered even with a favorable upcoming schedule.
Bryce Young: Surprising Fantasy Stud
Young delivered 26.3 fantasy points in six-point-per-passing-touchdown leagues against one of the NFL’s best pass rushes, despite Carolina’s protection issues. That performance earns him consideration as a streaming option next week against New Orleans. He is not a must-start, but he belongs in the conversation.
Jonathan Taylor: Trade Him (The Colts, That Is)
Taylor has been a fantasy dud for two straight weeks, a stretch that coincides with the Quentin Nelson trade. Nelson is not the sole reason, and Taylor was denied a touchdown Sunday when he lost a shoe and had to leave the field briefly. Still, the Colts’ offense is dreadful, and running backs on dreadful teams are hard to trust. Even so, Taylor remains a top-12 running back if he stays in Indianapolis.
Other Week 9 Notes
- Patrick Mahomes was better than his numbers. A touchdown pass to Travis Kelce was ruled a backward pass and became a rushing score for Kelce, and Mahomes also completed a pass to Xavier Worthy at the 2-yard line before a handoff to Kenneth Walker produced a touchdown on the next play.
- Adonai Mitchell had zero catches on seven targets. Better connection with Geno Smith could have produced two touchdowns, but if Garrett Wilson returns next week, Mitchell is hard to trust.
- Puka Nacua hurt his knee late in the fourth quarter. The hope is that it is nothing serious.
- Darren Waller posted 10 targets, eight catches, 90 yards and a touchdown, but he needs to do it again before earning a roster add.
- The Lions’ offense has scored 19, 20 and 19 points in three straight games against Green Bay, Minnesota and Miami. The first two are understandable; the Miami output is not.
- Ollie Gordon has just seven catches this season, making him vulnerable in negative game scripts despite his workload and nose for the end zone.
- Ryan Flournoy managed two catches for 53 yards on three targets with George Pickens out. He is not a must-start even if Pickens misses another game.
- Malik Nabers nearly caught a touchdown while shadowed by Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell. He will be fine.
- DeVonta Smith is averaging more than 17 PPR points per game, but Philadelphia’s passing game is unreliable, and that average could dip below 14 upon his return.
- Juwan Johnson and Devaughn Vele can be dropped. Johnson caught an overtime touchdown but was otherwise silent, while Vele needs heavy target volume to matter.
For fantasy managers with winning records, Brown stands out as the clearest buy-low opportunity of the week. The touchdowns have been close, and the price has never been lower.
