The Cincinnati Bengals' offense is chock-full of players that can help you win a championship in fantasy.
Before we begin, I'd like to mention that an NFL team's record shouldn't scare you away from drafting their players. Last year, the Bengals record was 4-11-1. The Cincinnati Bengals' offense was not the problem during that stretch.
Now I realize that they lost Joe Burrow during the season, but they still had seven losses while he was at the helm. However, in those seven losses they had with Burrow playing, four of them were by less than five points (not to mention the tie as well).
This is a team that has weapons at their skill positions and can help propel you towards a championship.
Captain Joe
We don't really need to talk about other quarterbacks for this article. Yeah, Brandon Allen and Co. stepped up when things got tough, but even if Joe Burrow goes down again Brandon Allen is at best a risky streaming option if all of your quarterbacks are on bye-weeks.
Let's address the elephant in the room. Yes, Joe Burrow got sacked over 30 times and injured his ACL/MCL. Thankfully, their o-line has improved. The front office has addressed one of their biggest needs through free agency and the draft. Despite not drafting the top lineman, Penei Sewell, the line has improved.
The leader of the Cincinnati Bengals' offense is back after rehabbing his injury and is at training camp. He is struggling a bit trying to knock the rust off, but I believe this is an issue that will be resolved.
Looking back on his 2020 season, he was injured in week 10 against the Washington Football Team tearing both his ACL and MCL in his left knee.
If we stretch his passing stats out to the remaining 6 games he would have played, he could have ended with 640 attempts, 4,288 yards, and over 20 touchdowns. This combined with his rushing stats would have landed him in the Top-12 Fantasy Quarterbacks.
I believe with an improved offensive line and new weapons, he can surpass his trajectory from last year.
Receiver Room
Let's dive into possibly one of the greatest receiving trios for the 2021 NFL season. (As a Ravens fan, I'm pretty glad about the state of our DB's. If things were different I might be a bit more worried having to face these guys twice a year.)
Ja'Marr Chase
Reunited and it feels so good!
The electrifying WR who helped LSU win a championship has now reunited with the quarterback that helped him put on a clinic.
Ja'Marr Chase sat out of the 2020 season due to concerns about Covid-19 and was STILL drafted within the top-5 and was the first receiver off the board. That should speak for itself - the talent he has as well as his potential.
He is already being touted as the WR1 for the Bengals and is looking to have a phenomenal year in a pass-heavy offense.
Tee Higgins
Tee Higgins came onto the scene last year and dominated the field. With his emergence (along with the terrible offensive line play) people were screaming from the rooftops and predicting that the Bengals would pick the top-rated offensive lineman, Penei Sewell.
Another day, another @teehiggins5 catch for your enjoyment. pic.twitter.com/0ptrwswMlU — Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) August 7, 2021
Well, the draft is over and the Cincinnati Bengals have one of the best trios of receivers including Tee Higgins.
Tee Higgins received over 100 targets and was close to crossing the 1,000-yard mark without the team's starting quarterback the rest of the way. The talent is there and so is the opportunity.
Tyler Boyd
Now we'll move onto the longest-tenured WR of the Cincinnati Bengals offense (at least out of the ones we'll be discussing).
Tyler Boyd will be entering his sixth season with the Cincinnati Bengals and surprisingly doing so as "the odd man out". I say this because it seems the spotlight has stayed on his younger teammates that we have already discussed.
It's cliché, but iron really sharpens iron. ⤵ pic.twitter.com/a6Cpu4JPGO — Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) August 4, 2021
He, however, won't just be cast aside by the Bengals, as those in the fantasy football realm have done to him. In the past three years, Boyd has eclipsed 100 targets and it wouldn't surprise me if he kept that streak going.
People are going to say that there won't be enough targets to go around for Boyd, but just last year the Bengals had three receivers with over 100 targets so who is to say they can't do so again.
Running Backs
It's the same deal with our quarterbacks, there's really only one player I'll be discussing here. If you came here looking for a deep dive on Chris Evans, allow me to direct your attention to Clinton Holmgren's article on Evans' dynasty value.
Joe Mixon
Joe Mixon, one of the most divisive topics as I once mentioned in a previous article (totally not just a way to point more people towards my other articles, I swear. But check it out).
I am one of the few people who still believe in Mixon as a viable fantasy RB. I understand that he doesn't receive the number of passing targets we would like our RB1 to have but that could change. Giovanni Bernand is gone (and so is his mustache). The man who has capped Mixon's receiving numbers has left to complicate the lives of fantasy owners who have shares of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers backfield.
Mixon may never be the league RB1, but he's a hell of a player for a team that has plenty of firepower from its receivers to not allow opposing defenses to stack the box. He is also going to receive a respectable amount of touches looking to be the Bengals' bell-cow once again.
Fun Fact of the day: With only six games under his belt during the 2020 season, Joe Mixon still finished as the Cincinnati Bengals' running back with the most rushing yards.
Tight Ends
The tight end position is the reason why I believe almost every player from the offense can win you your league. They are the exception.
Drew Sample and C.J. Uzomah will help the Cincinnati Bengals win games but I don't believe they'll do to much for your starting lineup. You may consider them as streaming options but they are not players that I'll be targeting or going after in trades.
Conclusion
The Cincinnati Bengals are a team that has offensive weapons spread all throughout the draft board that will help you win games.
I would highly consider targeting them where you can. Whether it be Joe Burrow early in a Superflex draft, Ja'Marr Chase and Joe Mixon near the third-fifth rounds, or Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd later on. These are all players that will positively impact your fantasy football season.
