Fantasy Football 2019 Team Previews: Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals

Must Own

Joe Mixon, RB (ADP: 14): Mixon lived up to the hype in 2018, rushing for 4.9 yards per carry, racking up 1,168 yards on the ground and crossing the pylon eight times as a rusher. Mixon’s production in the passing game pales in comparison to the elite pass-catching RBs, but his 43 receptions and 296 yards are plenty useful. He is the clear focal point of the Bengals offense, which should get a boost from the hiring of new head coach Zac Taylor, and he’s undoubtedly a Top 10 back. This ADP makes him an early second-round pick, but there’s no issue with taking him in Round 1.

A.J. Green, WR (ADP: 35): Green, perennially one of the most desirable WRs in fantasy, has slipped in drafts thanks to injuries occurring with more frequency. Green was limited to 10 games or fewer in two of the last three seasons, he’ll be 31 in Week 1, and he’s now in danger of missing regular season games after suffering an ankle injury in the Bengals’ first practice. That’s alarming.

But when he is on the field, he’s still so good. In 2016, despite making it through just 10 games, he was a mere 36 yards shy of 1,000. Last season Green was averaging 15.1 yards per catch, and had six scores through nine games. Green is no longer the only show in town re: Cincinnati’s passing game, but he remains the main event when healthy. This ADP is appropriate because of the injury risk, and it’s going to dip even further with his latest injury. I’m probably not taking him at No. 35 overall anymore — and I was before the ankle injury — but in another round he’s still someone who can return that ADP value and then some. 

Tyler Boyd, WR (ADP: 68): Boyd was a major 2018 breakout, and he was not simply feasting on the attention paid to Green. Boyd finished the season with 108 targets, 1,028 yards and an impressive seven touchdowns. From Weeks 11-14, with Green out of the picture, Boyd averaged five catches for 68 yards and he scored twice. Boyd is a productive receiver with or without Green; with Green, however, he could be a PPR monster. As the 28th receiver off the board, it seems I’m a little higher on him than consensus. Draft him in this range with confidence, and if you want him a little earlier, and there’s a long gap between picks, don’t be afraid to “reach.”

Fantasy Relevant

Giovani Bernard, RB (ADP: 258): Bernard could have surprising value in this new regime if they value his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and make defenders miss. Mixon was all-encompassing last season, but when he was out of the picture Bernard was potent on the ground and through the air, averaging 91 total yards in two games with three touchdowns. Bernard is must-own for Mixon owners, and he could potentially have standalone value in PPR formats with the new coach. This ADP is surprising, but understandable based on how little he touched the ball last year.

Handcuff(s)

Giovani Bernard, RB (ADP: 258)

Trayveon Williams, RB (ADP: N/A): Williams is a rookie who is unlikely to make any impact in 2019, without a major injury to Mixon. Should that occur, however, Williams could find himself in the better half, or with a significant chunk, of the Bengals rushing work. He was a standout at Texas A&M, exploding in his final collegiate season for 1,760 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on 271 carries. Because of Bernard’s size and injury history, he’s best-suited to a complementary role in which he could still be a useful player. I do not think Bernard will ever receive north of 175 carries or so, which would open the door for Williams to have a lot of opportunity. Mixon owners should have him on a watch list, but don’t bother drafting him in anything but a dynasty league.

Deep Sleepers

John Ross, WR (ADP: 296): Ross is reaching the end of any goodwill from the fantasy community. He was a total zero as a rookie, and then posted 21 catches for just 210 yards in 2018. That meager production was accompanied by seven touchdowns, which is super weird, but so far he has not been a quality NFL receiver. He still has ridiculous speed, so there’s some hope he can evolve into a Marquise Goodwin type, but I’m not holding my breath.

Andy Dalton, QB (ADP: 237): Dalton is the 30th QB off the board. That makes some sense, because he’s only hit the 30-TD mark once, and last year barely cracked 2,500 passing yards in a pass-happy league. But, Dalton quietly has one of the best skill position trios in the NFL at his disposal, as well as a new, offensive-minded head coach. I am not making a prediction that Dalton will be fantasy relevant, but I can see the path.