Five preseason top-10 fantasy RBs are in trouble, including three healthy ones: James Cook, Chase Brown, and Omarion Hampton. Here's what to expect.
Cook has five turnovers in his last 14 games, and the Bills have recovered the ball several other times he's coughed it up. Ray Davis and Ty Johnson are both capable secondary options. Of course Cook is their most talented backfield option. But a career-low target rate and career-low yards-after-first-contact -- combined with the risk of a short-term benching if he keeps fumbling -- put him in a rare fantasy category: a low-ceiling, must-start RB.
I drafted Chase Brown and traded him after a couple of weeks, once it seemed clear that something was off. My only hesitationwas whether 31-year-old Samaje
Perine could realistically cut into his workload. Now heading into the Bengals' bye week, managers with Brown have to wonder whether his best days are behind him. Fifth-round draft picks don't usually remain atop the depth chart for more than a couple of years, at best. It's too late to sell high, and it's also unlikely that Perine will ever become the #1.
As for Hampton, what a painful start to a promising career. The 2025 first-rounder is limping his way through 2026, much like most of the Chargers' offense. Managers need three things to happen: L.A. needs to trade Kimani Vidal, trade Keaton Mitchell, and find their footing as the schedule eases up in the second half of the season.
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This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Fantasy football anxiety: James Cook, Chase Brown, and Omarion Hampton
