Cincinnati Bengals 2020 Preview
Burrow the Bengal Saviour?
TEAM OVERVIEW
After a disastrous 2019 campaign that ended with the 4th #1 overall pick in franchise history, 2nd-year head coach Zac Taylor and Heisman trophy winner QB Joe Burrow aim to lead the Bengals back to AFC North relevance. The return of former Pro Bowl WR A.J. Green and 2019 1st-round tackle Jonah Williams should assist Burrow in lifting the overall production and efficiency of the Bengals offense this upcoming season.
2019 TEAM DATA & FANVEST’S 2020 ESTIMATES
CIN 2019 REGULAR SEASON AGAINST THE SPREAD (ATS) PERFORMANCE
FANVEST’S 5 FANTASY IMPACT PLAYERS
The most valuable fantasy asset in Cincinnati is RB Joe Mixon. Mixon carried the ball 278 times in 2019 which tied for 5th, while also avoiding the 5th most tackles according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). This kind of carry volume is already extremely valuable for fantasy, and when paired with Mixon’s receiving ability, he becomes an excellent early 2nd-round RB target in all fantasy leagues.
QB Joe Burrow is coming off one of the greatest seasons of all time for a college passer. Burrow led all FBS starting QBs in TDs (48), completion % (77.9%) and college passer rating (201.5) on his way to a Heisman trophy and National Title. The key concern for Burrow, and the Bengals offense as a whole, is the current state of the O-line. PFF ranks this unit 31st overall headed into the 2020 season, but the hope is that the addition of Jonah Williams at LT adds stability to the group. With those improvements in mind, Burrow will be hard-pressed to recreate his 2019 college efficiency behind such a sub-par line.
Cincinnati has a ton of depth at the WR position, which could make it difficult for any individual receiver to have a stand out fantasy season. Tyler Boyd is coming off back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons, and should be a consistent fantasy option from the slot considering he had at least 6 targets in 15/16 games last year. A.J. Green has always been a strong fantasy play when healthy, but the concerns over his injury history largely explain his 68 ADP on ESPN. Green has never averaged below 14.2 PPR points/game in his 8 seasons with at least 9 games. He is a risky 6th-round pick with an incredibly high ceiling if he can stay on the field.
The #3 receiver remains up in the air, but both John Ross and rookie Tee Higgins should see time as the tertiary pass-catching option. Ross has shown signs of improvement since the Bengals drafted him 9th overall in 2017, but his 4.22 40 time is still his most impressive accomplishment. Higgins is a complete receiver, with a massive catch radius and terrific ball skills. He has the talent to emerge as a top fantasy option if he can acclimate quickly.
CIN 2020 WIN TOTAL & OUTLOOK
Neither FanDuel Sportsbook nor the Fanvest model expects big things from the 2020 Bengals. Given the current odds of +120 on the side of the under, there may be a slight edge in betting against the Bengals this year.
