RADIO
The Cincinnati Bengals have been one of the most fantasy-relevant teams during the first half of the season. After secretly hoping they would see a decline and miss the playoffs, we were starting to fall for the trap of believing in their 8-0 start to the season. Week 10 saw the Bengals lose all trust gained with a 10-6 loss to the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football. The Texans defense dominated Cincinnati for the majority of the game and held them without a touchdown score.
Fantasy owners are feeling heartbreak on Tuesday morning due to fantasy games lost in part to the Bengals star players. Quarterback Andy Dalton will be the main target of criticism after an atrocious performance with less than ten standard fantasy points. Dalton has always been untrustworthy due to his inconsistent play throughout his career but he was starting to turn it around this season. That’s no longer the case as Dalton has delivered less than twelve fantasy points in two of the last three games and is once again looking like the quarterback less reliable than the post office. This is officially a problem.
Stud wide receiver A.J. Green was also limited with just five catches for 67 yards and a fumble that ruined Cincinnati’s final chance at a comeback. There aren’t many wide receivers as talented as Green so you’re going to have to rely on him every week. Green has the potential to win you a match on any given week but the Bengals situation can also destroy an assumed victory, like on Monday.
Running backs Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard performed as lackluster as Dalton. The Bengals could not get anything going on offense and that’s a big problem if they’re hoping to finally win a playoff game and make a deep run this year. Bernard rushed eight times for 36 yards and Hill only rushed for 15 yards on seven carries. Neither man showed an ability to step up in a game where the defense was playing strong. Bernard was more of a factor in the passing game with five catches for 43 yards and his value there is always a welcomed asset.
Cincinnati has some difficult matchups approaching with games against the Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams and Denver Broncos. If there’s an appealing quarterback available on the waiver wire such as Jay Cutler or Derek Carr, it would be beneficial to have an insurance plan in place for Dalton. You’re starting Green and Bernard most weeks and hoping for the best but Hill and Dalton owners will need to find alternatives soon.
