Dynasty Capsule: Cincinnati Bengals

As part of the premium content package, we’re again unveiling dynasty capsules for every team in the NFL leading up to free agency and the NFL Draft. This year, we’re also going to do a follow-up on all the teams after all the free agency and NFL Draft movement to assess the impact of any players teams have gained or lost. Since these capsules are always done as a simple snapshot in time, we figured that was the best way to tackle the off-season and provide ultimate value for our subscribers. All in all, we’ll have close to 500 player profiles found in these capsules over the off-season.

We continue our journey through the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Quarterbacks

Andy Dalton

This third year quarterback showed some improvement in his game from year one to year two. He slightly increased his passing yardage by 271 yards, threw seven more touchdowns (going from 20 to 27) and ran for four touchdowns – three more than he had in 2011.  The red-headed signal caller will never be known for a strong or dominating arm, but he can throw the ball where only the receiver can get to it.  Dalton is improving his ability to find his receivers in stride and getting them the ball quickly.  Of course, this is an easier task when you get to throw to all-pro wide out in A.J. Green.  Don’t expect top-tier performances from the third year quarterback as he is closer in style to Matthew Hasselbeck, as you would not confuse him with Tom Brady.  It is realistic to expect a little more improvement on his passing stats – perhaps 4,000 yards passing and around 30 passing touchdowns is in reach.  Dalton is a low-end QB1 who will be a consistent producer, but lacks upside.

Bruce Gradkowski

This backup quarterback can be effective for a few games a season if need be.  He is a gritty leader who stands tough in the pocket.  The last report I heard expected him to return for the 2013 season.  Keep in mind in his best season, Gradkowski threw for 1,661 yards and nine touchdowns. He is only an option in very deep leagues with 14+ teams.

Running Backs

BenJarvus Green-Ellis

The 27-year-old back finally got the opportunity to get the full load after many years sharing touches in New England.  Unfortunately for his fantasy owners, almost 1,200 combined yards on 300 touches won’t win you many fantasy championships.  The Bengals do not have the explosive offense the Patriots do, so as a result, Green-Ellis’ touchdowns went from eleven in 2011 to only six this past year.  The running back is a hard-nosed, plodding runner who started off the season slowly.  He did end on a high note as BJGE had five games out of the last six with over 100 combined yards and scored three of those six touchdowns.  Green-Ellis is better suited as a member of an RBBC, so expect the Bengals to add another back in the draft, probably between the fourth and sixth rounds.  The running back is not a receiving threat and does not have good pass blocking skills.  Green-Ellis is a low-end RB2, who is better suited as an RB3.

Bernard Scott

Last year, the quick twitched Scott was on target to share the load with Green-Ellis, but got hurt early in the season and was placed on season ending injured reserve.  The lack of durability and with his late age of 29, I have my doubts that he will ever have much of a role with Bengals if they decide to bring him back.  Scott should be waiver wire fodder at best.

Cedric Peerman

The fourth year back finally got some meaningful touches this past year.  Even with Green-Ellis early season’s struggles and Scott’s injury, Peerman only managed to get 45 total touches. However, he averaged a whopping 9.44 yards per reception which may keep him around.  He has some talent, but with the chance of the Bengals adding a young back, I would be hard pressed to hold onto him if higher than a RB7.

Wide Receivers

AJ Green

This third year superstar improved in every statistic last year and it certainly helps when your targets go from 115 to 164.  This increased trust translated into a jump of 65 catches in 2011 to 97 in 2012, an increase of 293 yards, and a touchdown total that went from seven to eleven.  Green created a nine game scoring streak from week two through week 11.  The way this young receiver high points the ball and manipulates his body to adjust in the air is nothing short of spectacular.  In any start-up, he is the second wide receiver coming off the board as only Calvin Johnson is better, which is ever so slightly.  The attention Green draws away from his teammates only make them better.  If you can still acquire him for any sort of reasonable price, make sure you do.

Mohammed Sanu

This second year wide receiver didn’t take his team by storm early in the season, but he certainly flashed during week ten through week 12 by scoring four touchdowns in those three games.  Sanu’s season ended early due to a foot injury, but he has already resumed running at this point in the off-season.  He isn’t a blazing fast wide receiver, but he uses his quick feet and body control to out manuever his defenders.  Sanu has “Brandon Lloyd hands,” which simply means he can make the difficult one-handed grabs, but can be frustrating the next play by dropping an easy pass that he lets into his body.  The player has all the physical abilities to be a dominate fantasy wide receiver, but Sanu may need time to develop.  At 6′ 2″ 210 lbs, he is built to be the other outside receiver with Green.  I wouldn’t be surprised for him to turn into a solid WR3 you can get late.

Marvin Jones

Jones got the opportunity to start when Sanu went down with injury and didn’t exactly light up the fantasy world with 18 catches for 209 yards in six games.  He is an exciting player because he can contort his body to adjust to the ball in the air and tracks it well. The receiver has soft hands and leaves his feet to attack the ball at its highest point.  Jones uses the sidelines as another blocker and has mastered the art of the toe tap while concentrating to make the difficult catch. I’m not sure he will ever be more than a WR4, but as he is still battling Sanu for the second receiver job then he has a boxer’s chance. Jones is the same height as Sanu, but is about twenty lbs. lighter and not as physical.

Andrew Hawkins

Hawkins, a soon to be 27-year old, is a not so young third year player.  He previously played in the CFL for two years and starred on the Spike Network before making his way to the NFL. The former runner-up on Michael Irvin’s failed reality tv show took the slot role and made it his own. Hawkins is a very fluid athlete who can create space from the defensive backs. He catches the ball away from his body, but does not have much in physical strength and toughness to break tackles  I’m not convinced that he will greatly improve on his 51 catches for 533 yards and four touchdowns this past season.  It might be realistic to predict an improvement to 65 receptions for 681 yards and five touchdowns, which would make him a dynasty WR5 at best.

Tight Ends

Jermaine Gresham

The fourth year player is moving in the right direction.  From his second to third years, the tight end increased his catches from 56 to 64 while bringing his yardage up from 596 to 737 with only two additional targets.  His touchdown total decreased from six to five, but that can be explained away with fewer red zone targets.  Gresham had ten drops last year, so hopefully he can work on that in the off-season.  I don’t ever see him becoming a top five option at tight end; however, he presents solid, yet unspectacular TE1 production.

Orson Charles

This second year player was considered to be a top three tight end in last year’s draft class.  Charles has a good combination of blocking and receiving skills much like Gresham.  Due to his DUI in early Spring of last year, he dropped in the NFL Draft.  Gresham was used sparingly last year with nine targets as he caught eight of them for 101 yards.  In tight end premium leagues he is worth a roster spot as well as in deeper leagues 14+ with large rosters, but he is a TE3 at best.