Chase Brown Reportedly to be Joe Burrow's 'Safety Valve' amid Fantasy Football Rumors

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown could be in line for a greater role in the passing game, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, who wrote that the expectation is for him to serve as a "safety valve" for quarterback Joe Burrow.

"Expect an uptick in Chase Brown's numbers in the pass game over last season (54 catches, 360 yards). He's worked at his receiving ability and [head coach Zac Taylor] believes that can be a strength. Cincinnati has a supply-and-demand issue in the passing game with Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and tight end Mike Gesicki. But the expectation is Brown will serve as a safety valve in the screen game when defenses try to take away Chase or Higgins."

Brown entered last season as the RB2 behind Zack Moss, but the ex-Utah star unfortunately suffered a season-ending neck injury and was limited to just eight games.

Brown started getting more touches in Week 4, and he became a full-fledged bellcow in the back half of the season. For the year, Brown amassed 990 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 229 carries while adding the aforementioned 360 receiving yards and four scores on 54 receptions.

Over his last eight games, Brown really showcased his talents, amassing 930 total yards and six scores. He also caught 38 passes during that span.

Needless to say, that kind of production stretched out over a full season will make Brown one of the most valuable running backs in the league, both on the field and in fantasy football. He could very well end up being a huge weapon in point-per-reception leagues, and it won't be a surprise to see him be third on the team in receptions and receiving yards.

Given that he's working with a superstar quarterback in Joe Burrow in a pass-happy offense, that could lead to excellent production through the air.