Summer Sleeper: Cincinnati Bengals
With fantasy season right around the corner, we’re continuing our annual series focusing on a few sleepers from all 32 teams in the NFL. You can find all of the Summer Sleeper articles here.
These sleepers all have varying levels of “sleeperness,” but all merit a little more talking about here in the Premium Content section. Some of these players are deep dynasty sleepers who could merit a spot on your bench in a deep league, while others are players who may contribute a little faster than the deep prospects, but deserve more attention than they may be getting. By definition, a sleeper could mean something a little different to everyone, but we’re simply doing the best job we can to unearth one player from each team who fits the category in some way, shape or form.
We’ll never insult you with a comprehensive list of “sleepers” which include such such dynasty mainstay names as Toby Gerhart, Christine Michael or Cordarrelle Patterson. You’re all too good for that.
While many of these players will undoubtedly fizzle, there’s more value in looking more closely at these deeper prospects and players. We invite you to keep an open mind and either or re-assess your value on those who may be rostered in your league or consider adding a few of these deeper prospects we focus on this Summer who are free agents in your league – after all, some are destined to pan out, too.
Feel free to add your own comments about our choice for the designated sleeper, or nominate one of your own!
[am4show have=’p2;p3;p4;p5;p6;’ guest_error=’sub_message’ user_error=’sub_message’ ]
Mohamed Sanu, WR
After wisely drafting All-World wide receiver A.J. Green and pairing him with surprisingly effective second-round rookie quarterback Andy Dalton to revitalize their offence in 2011, the Bengals entered the 2012 draft with the intent of building a stronger supporting cast for their dynamic sophomore duo. Knowing they didn’t need anyone to play the role of WR1, they patiently waited until the third round to add an ultra-versatile, possession type receiver named Mohamed Sanu. The 6’2” 218-pound Sanu was not great on the stopwatch, running a 4.67, 40, but he more than accounted for this shortcoming with his throwback toughness and all-purpose skills at Rutgers both as a receiver and wildcat quarterback in the run game. Sanu seemed like a perfect complement to the dynamic Green. Most assumed he would quickly become a reliable security blanket-type in the middle of the field and set the edge aggressively in the run game; not unlike former Bengals wide receiver and fan favorite T.J. Houshmanzadeh.
In that same draft, the Bengals also selected wide receiver Marvin Jones out of Cal in the fifth round. Jones possessed unquestionable ball skills and route running ability, but many scouts killed him in the pre-draft process, feeling he was too slight to escape the jam and not enough of a pure speedster to outrun coverages. A tweener, if you will. Here is a peek at the measurable of both players.
Both rookies developed slowly, as they alternated being active on game days and combined for four targets through the first six games (all Jones’). At that point, Sanu seems to have climbed ahead of Jones on the depth chart. In a week nine tilt against the Giants in 2012, Offensive Coordinator Jay Gruden finally inserted him into the starting lineup and he seemed to hit his stride a bit, scoring four touchdowns in a three week stretch.
The following week at practice, the fantasy buzz around Sanu was discourteously quieted as he sustained a stress fracture in his foot and was lost for the season. Jones stepped up and saw increased production in his place, but never showed the red zone ability Bengals fans saw from Sanu. For the most part, the Bengals 2012 production from WR2 was impressively unimpressive.
Flash forward a year. With electric starting slot receiver Andrew Hawkins beginning the year on IR, Offensive Coordinator Jay Gruden decided to capitalize on Sanu’s experience running from the slot and gave Jones the start outside opposite Green. Jones exploded onto the fantasy scene in week eight with a 122 yard, four touchdown performance and finished with a ten touchdown season despite only playing on 47.9% of the offensive snaps. What about the versatile Sanu? He spent most of the season running shallow crossers and five-yard outs and finished with a very uninspiring stat line of 47 receptions for 455 yards and two touchdowns with 48.9% of his receptions coming from the slot.
Most people in the fantasy community expected Jones to continue his ascension in his third year (is the year three receiver breakout still a thing?) Those same people expected next to nothing from Sanu, as evidenced by his absence from Ryan McDowell’s DLF ADP data. Last week, though, the injury bug crept back into the equation as Jones broke the fifth metatarsal in his foot, the same type of injury that cost Sanu his job as WR2. Bengals brass discounted the injury severity by saying he’d be out “a couple of weeks” but those familiar with this type of injury fully understand that with any complications whatsoever Jones could end up on the IR/DTR list. This means he could be out until week nine – that, my friends, reeks of an opportunity. Whether it’s nine weeks or four, Sanu ultimately has a chance to regain his job.
It’s pretty safe to assume very few people are vaulting Sanu into Jones ADP position of 49. Those paying close attention are likely to notice that even back to his Rutgers career, he has had a paltry yards-per-catch average near ten. This fact, combined with his pedestrian speed, makes us weary of his potential as a perimeter weapon. Also, many experts are predicting a run heavy approach from new OC Hue Jackson with fewer targets for all of the Bengals’ pass catchers. This weekend, though, two informative tidbits crossed my path.
The first was a statistic. In 2011, the Jackson-led Oakland Raiders, with Carson Palmer and Jason Campbell splitting snaps, had 521 passing attempts and finished as the eleventh ranked passing offense in the NFL. Andy Dalton had 528 in 2013.
The second was a highlight from this weekend’s preseason tilt against the Jets, showing Sanu lining up beside Green on Dalton’s left and beating coverage up the seam from a two tight end formation for an impressive 43-yard touchdown catch in traffic. Of course, the deep safety was overplaying in Green’s direction. Watch it here.
That highlight alone is probably enough to get Sanu off the undrafted list in your league. With the Bengals utilizing more two tight end sets this year to pound the rock, Sanu has a real chance to flip the depth chart at the wide receiver position and Wally Pipp the guy who Wally Pipped him. If it happens, Sanu’s value obviously increases exponentially. Today, he’ll cost you pennies.
- Dynasty Dupes: Week Four - September 25, 2014
- Dynasty Dupes: Week One - September 11, 2014
- Summer Sleeper: Cincinnati Bengals - August 25, 2014
