Ja'Marr Chase
Chase is Cincinnati's clear alpha receiver and Joe Burrow's top target, the kind of asset you play regardless of matchup once he's right. He opened the season with a genuinely bad Week 1 (2 catches, 12 yards) tied to a knee issue, then answered with a two-touchdown, target-heavy Week 2 that every show treated as the real form. He now profiles as a locked-in WR1 with a specific history of torching Pittsburgh's secondary.
The arc runs from panic to vindication: Yahoo Fantasy Forecast and Fantasy Football Happy Hour flagged the Week 1 no-show and knee concern as legitimate worries, while FantasyPros and Dynasty Nerds urged patience, citing his known slow-start pattern. Fantasy Focus Football, Establish The Run, Harris Fantasy Football, and The Ringer all flipped hard positive after his Week 2 two-touchdown outburst, calling it proof the dud was noise. By the Steelers preview, Yahoo's Josh & Hayden and The Ringer are fully aligned on a dominant matchup history against Pittsburgh, with the only dissent (The Late-Round Fantasy Football Podcast) being an unrelated auction-budget caution, not a talent knock.
The line: Trust the Week 2 breakout over the Week 1 scare — start Chase with confidence, especially against a Steelers secondary he's historically dominated.
▲ RotoWire Fantasy Football With Theo Gremminger: Ranked #5 after back-to-back 20+ point games; facing a tough Jacksonville defense but still expected to produce. listen ↗
▲ RotoWire Fantasy Football With Theo Gremminger: Posted 9 catches, 98 yards and a TD, with 3 TD grabs and back-to-back 20+ point games. listen ↗
▶ The Late-Round Fantasy Football Podcast: Used as a cautionary example — in the host's own guillotine league, managers bid nearly 60% of budget on Chase in week one, which is not recommended unless your roster is already elite. listen ↗
▲ The Ringer Fantasy Football Show: Historically dominant vs. Pittsburgh (16 catches last meeting); expected to torch a Steelers secondary possibly missing Joey Porter Jr. listen ↗
▲ Yahoo Fantasy Football with Josh & Hayden: WR3 against Pittsburgh; historically dominant vs Steelers (97 yds/gm since 2022), and a limited/rusty Joey Porter Jr. plus Bengals' pass-pro strength favor him. listen ↗
▲ Establish The Run Fantasy Football: 7 catches, 175 yards(?)/2 TDs on 9 targets against a respected Texans secondary after a quiet Week 1; called a game-changing talent who 'moves different.' listen ↗
▲ Establish The Run Fantasy Football: Scored 23 FanDuel points, another top performer supporting the expensive-WR tournament strategy. listen ↗
▲ Fantasy Feast: NFL Fantasy Football Podcast: Made an insane catch as the Bengals dominated the Texans defensively and offensively. listen ↗
▲ Fantasy Focus Football: Bounced back big with 7-of-9 for 75 yards and two highlight-reel touchdowns after a poor Week 1. listen ↗
▲ Harris Fantasy Football Podcast: Scored twice, including a spectacular toe-tap touchdown and a scramble-drill improv score, showcasing elite chemistry with Joe Burrow. listen ↗
▲ The Ringer Fantasy Football Show: Made a reaction-based, highlight-reel touchdown catch called one of the best of the year; hosts say he's matched his pre-draft hype as a generational receiver. listen ↗
▲ Fantasy Football Today: Hosts would still start him even if Flacco plays, citing his huge target pace (245-target pace) in Flacco's prior starts. listen ↗
▲ The Audible: Devin targets him at $7,600 for cash, noting he's historically a slow Week 1 starter who breaks out in Week 2 the last four years. listen ↗
Follow Ja'Marr Chase
Get every take on him — and the rest of your roster — before waivers on Tuesday and before lineups lock on Sunday. Free through the season.
Sign up free