Chase Brown

No matter how well your team did, there's at least one decision that you're proud of. Our staff recounts theirs.

With Chase Brown unable to play, Herbert not only was the lead back for the Bengals, he was the only back. No other Cincinnati player received a carry. He finishes the season with all of 114 yards on 28 carries as he was well behind Brown and Zack Moss on the depth chart. Herbert will be a free agent at the end of the year and well off the fantasy radar for 2025.

Brown came into the contest listed as questionable after injuring his ankle in the second half of the team's Week 17 win. It was initially deemed a mild high-ankle injury, with him ultimately unable to overcome the pain enough to be active in a must-win game. Expect Kahlil Herbert to lead the backfield, with an offensive game plan likely biased towards the air. Also inactive for the Bengals are DE Sam Hubbard, WR Charlie Jones, WR Jermaine Burton, TE Tanner McLachlan, OL Andrew Stueber, and DE Isaiah Thomas.

A report on Saturday indicated the Bengals would give running back Chase Brown a pregame workout before deciding on his status for their game against the Steelers, but it did not go as hoped.

Herbert is in line to be the Bengals' primary running back Saturday in Pittsburgh with Chase Brown (ankle) inactive for that contest, Geoff Hobson of the team's official site reports.