The Touchback is launching a preview series for fantasy football this season. Today, we’re providing you with the Cincinnati Bengals 2020 Fantasy Football Overview. Click here to read our other previews.
It’s been a while since the Cincinnati Bengals were a good, or even memorable, team. In terms of fantasy they haven’t finished top-10 in points scored since 2015 which also happens to be the last time they made the playoffs. Jeremy Hill led Cincinnati in rushing that season and Tyler Eifert caught 13 touchdowns over the course of 13 games.
Those two are now gone. So too is Andy Dalton leaving A.J. Green, Giovani Bernard and C.J. Uzomah as the only holdovers from the 2015 side. They will have a new quarterback in Joe Burrow who should be more dynamic and prolific than the “Red Rocket” but may need some time to find his footing.
Some are worried about the lack of a preseason hampering Burrow’s chances in 2020. However, the awful offensive line protecting him this season is a much larger concern. The Bengals had the third worst line in the league in 2019 and the PFF offensive line rankings have them 31st heading into the season.
Read more: Offensive lines are important in fantasy football even if they don’t score
For the second consecutive year, defenses facing the Bengals will be a preferred streaming option.
Cincinnati Bengals 2020 Fantasy Football Overview: Players to watch
Stud – Tyler Boyd
Tyler Boyd continues to be disrespected despite posting two incredibly consistent seasons. He was WR23 last year and W17 in 2018 (half-point PPR) despite subpar quarterback play. And yet his ADP is lower than teammate A.J. Green, a guy who didn’t play in 2019 and only suited up for nine contests in 2018. Boyd will never put up WR1 numbers, but there is no reason to think he won’t be a top-25 pass catcher in 2020.
More importantly, Auden Tate, Alex Erickson and John Ross combined for 214 targets last season. Even with a returning Green and recently drafted Tee Higgins in the lineup, there is no reason to think Boyd is going to see a massive decrease from his 148 targets in 2019.
Dud – Any tight end
Cincinnati has no viable offensive weapons at the tight end position. It is bewildering that the front office has assembled such an underwhelming collection of players here.
Sleeper – N/A
This team doesn’t have any sleepers. Burrow might have some good weeks, but it is hard to envision him finishing as a top-15 QB, especially if your league penalizes turnovers and/or sacks. Giovani Bernard is a trendy sleeper for some. Being in the last year of his contract, there is a risk he doesn’t make the roster, especially if the next guy in our Cincinnati Bengals 2020 fantasy football overview is healthy.
Related: Don’t bank on Joe Burrow being fantasy relevant in 2020
Wildcard – Rodney Anderson
Rodney Anderson has a ton of talent and a similar skill set to Mixon which means he could slide into the lead role if required. Of course, Anderson has an extensive injury history including tearing his ACL in the 2019 preseason. He is cutting and running full speed which bodes well for his chances to contribute in 2020. Should he look good in training camp, Anderson will be the premier Mixon handcuff.
Cincinnati Bengals 2020 Fantasy Football Overview final thoughts
Joe Mixon and Tyler Boyd are worth drafting at their current ADPs. You can make a case for drafting A.J. Green although his situation remains murky. Ultimately, Cincinnati won’t offer a ton of fantasy football production unless the offensive line improves significantly this season. On the other side of things, NFL defenses will be excited to face the Bengals which is something to keep in the back of your mind.
