Khalil Herbert DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

The Indianapolis Colts and free-agent running back Khalil Herbert reached an agreement on an undisclosed one-year deal on Wednesday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Herbert began the 2024 season with the Chicago Bears and had only eight carries for 16 yards and a touchdown in six games before being traded to the Cincinnati Bengals, where he finished with 28 carries for 114 yards and no touchdowns in eight games behind Chase Brown. Now in Indianapolis, the 26-year-old will have a similar backup role to Jonathan Taylor. Because he's unlikely to see much volume unless Taylor misses time with an injury, Herbert will mainly be a handcuff in deeper leagues for those that draft Taylor. The former sixth-rounder (217th overall) by the Bears in 2021 has averaged 4.8 yards per carry on 400 rushing attempts for 1,905 yards and nine TDs in his four years in the NFL.

Cincinnati Bengals running back Khalil Herbert got the start for the injured Chase Brown (ankle) in Saturday's crucial win over the Steelers. The 26-year-old, who was acquired by the Bengals in November, had played sparingly since arriving in Cincinnati. However, he did exactly what was needed on Saturday night, running for 69 yards off 20 carries while adding seven catches for 14 yards. The Bengals still have a shot at the postseason. But if Herbert's season is finished, he'll likely draw interest from at least a few teams in free agency. With that said, unless he gets a meaningful role in 2025-26, his fantasy upside will remain capped.

Cincinnati Bengals running back Khalil Herbert has barely seen any action since being traded by the Chicago Bears in November. He's appeared in seven games for the Bengals this season. However, he has only eight carries for 45 yards and one catch for seven yards to show for it. But with Chase Brown (ankle) questionable for the Week 18 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Herbert may take over as the No. 1 option out of the backfield. The 26-year-old was once one of the most promising young backs in the National Football League, giving him some upside on Saturday. Still, his presence in any fantasy lineup isn't without risk.