Joe Flacco Bengals fantasy tips: Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Chase Brown values with new QB

Griffin Missant

Joe Flacco Bengals fantasy tips: Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Chase Brown values with new QB image

It seemed as if the writing was on the wall that the Cincinnati Bengals were after a new QB. After all, Jake Browning has been putrid as the QB1 for Cincinnati. 

Well, the Bengals pulled the trigger and traded a fifth-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for Joe Flacco. 

Flacco started the first 4 games of the season for the Browns until rookie Dillon Gabriel eventually took over. Flacco now finds himself still in the AFC North, on a team that desperately needs better quarterback play. 

Keep reading to see how we should value the Bengals' fantasy players, including Ja'Marr Chase, with Flacco now at quarterback.

Keep up with the latest fantasy news heading into your matchups this weekend.

Joe Flacco fantasy value with Bengals

The Bengals trading for a QB is not surprising in the slightest, but the fact that it was Flacco doesn't make a ton of sense. 

You have to ask yourself, is the ceiling of Flacco that much higher than Browning? Flacco might be able to offer a bit more consistent play for the offense, but there is not a ton of optimism that they'll be much better.

The glaring issue is the Bengals' offensive line, paired with a 40-year-old quarterback who cannot move well. 

Browning was unstartable in fantasy, but Flacco may be able to offer some streaming weeks. However, this will be heavily dependent on a good matchup. 

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What are Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins fantasy values with QB Joe Flacco?

In the simplest way possible, nothing drastic changes for Ja'Marr Chase or Tee Higgins. Going from Joe Burrow to Joe Flacco is still going to be rough.

What I am confident about is that Chase and Higgins' ceiling does not move. Under Flacco, Cedric Tillman was the WR50, and Jerry Jeudy was the WR55 overall. Chase was the WR4 under Browning, and Higgins was the WR50. 

Flacco and Browning are tied for 50th in QB EPA/Play, and Browning actually has a better aDOT (average depth of target) than Flacco. 

Granted, the Browns never did push the ball downfield, and the Bengals' WR corps is leagues above the Browns'.  

At best, Chase and Higgins' floor games become a little more bearable under Flacco, but not much changes for these two. 

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Does Chase Brown's fantasy value increase with Joe Flacco at QB?

Flacco getting traded to the Bengals actually might help Chase Brown in fantasy football.

While the rushing upside has been worse than we expected, that was not the reason you drafted Brown in August. You drafted Brown because of the elite receiving game he offers, but that has also been lacking to start 2025. 

Again, while I don't think Flacco drastically changes Brown's season, Flacco likes throwing the ball to the RBs. 

Through Flacco's 4 weeks as the starter for Cleveland, he targeted RBs 36 times. Browning, on the other hand, targeted RBs 22 times in his 4 weeks starting. 

Also, don't forget that under Flacco, Dylan Sampson had a game with 8 receptions off of 8 targets for 64 receiving yards. This is better than any game Brown has had receiving this season under Burrow (Week 1) or Browning. 

Griffin Missant

Griffin Missant joined The Sporting News in 2025 as a fantasy football intern. He graduated from Grand Valley State University, where he covered the Lakers football program. He has also worked for Sleeper and the Fantasy Trade Room. He has played fantasy for over a decade, and has been passionate about fantasy football ever since.