Dynasty Capsule: Cincinnati Bengals

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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 again 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 path through the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Quarterbacks

daltonAndy Dalton

This fourth year quarterback showed some improvement in his game from year two to year three.  He increased his passing yardage by over 600 yards, threw six more touchdowns (going from 27 to 33) and ran for two touchdowns.  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 has improved 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 a repeat of his 2013 performance from the fourth year quarterback as he is closer to Phillip Rivers ‘skill set than Peyton Manning.  With his poor performance in the playoffs, Dalton may not be as stable as a signal caller to rely on.  He is more of the best QB2 to own than a fringe QB1.

Josh Johnson

This very athletic quarterback is even less of a threat to Dalton than he was last season with former offensive coordinator Jay Gruden out-of-town.  Johnson has the legs to be a scary option style quarterback, but does not have the touch in the passing game to be more than an NFL backup.  I would only roster him in deep leagues where I owned Dalton.

Running Backs


Giovani Bernard

Bernard had a more modest rookie year than most of his dynasty owners would have liked.  He finished the season with just over 1,200 combined yards including 56 receptions and eight touchdowns.  Bernard is not a physically dominating runner, but he can make people miss.  He has soft hands and is a better than average pass blocker.  In PPR leagues (which are the only leagues I play in),  the young back will only get better this season.  There is no reason to think that he will not average a hundred yards of offense a game and finish with 10+ touchdowns.  Bernard is one of the few under 23-year-old backs that should be ranked as a top five dynasty back.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis

The former Patriot back was never a dynamic athlete and that is even more clear when he stands side by side with Bernard.  Green-Ellis is a power back who puts his head down and drives the ball in short yardage and goal line situations.  He got eight passing targets compared to the 71 that Bernard got.  I expect for him to still get 40% of the carries to keep Bernard fresh, but he should only be considered a dynasty RB4 at best.

Wide Receivers

AJ Green 

This fourth year superstar continued his spectacular consistency with almost 100 catches, over 1,400 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. He had one stinker of a game with two catches for five yards last season.   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 fellow teammates only make them better.  If you can still acquire him for any sort of reasonable price, make sure you do or target him early in start-ups.

Mohammed Sanu

This third year wide receiver is more of a possession receiver than a dynamic play maker.  He is an adequate NFL WR3, but should be considered more of a dynasty WR4-5.  Sanu finished with 47 receptions, under 500 yards, and four touchdowns last season.  With all the other offensive weapons, he might be the least athletic pass catcher on the team.  Sanu is a more accomplished blocker, so he might continue to play more on early downs than the more athletic Marvin Jones.

Marvin Jones

Jones flashed in 2013 with just over 50 catches for 712 yards and ten touchdowns.  Hopefully you played him in his memorable game against the Jets where he finished with eight catches for 122 yards and four touchdowns. Jones is an exciting player because he can contort his body to adjust to the ball in the air and tracks it well. He 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. If he can start beside Green instead of Sanu, that could elevate him into WR2-3 status.

Andrew Hawkins

Hawkins, a soon to be 28-year old, is a not so young fourth 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  Hawkins missed the first eight games last season, but with his limited production in those final eight games, it is clear he is a declining asset who should be considered in only deeper leagues.

Tight Ends

Jermaine Gresham

It’s hard to believe that he is now a fifth year NFL tight end who will turn 26 in June.  His production dipped last season partly due to injury (missed two games) and some to the new tight end in town, Tyler Eifert.  As it stands, Gresham will be on another NFL team in 2015 with his rookie contract running out.  He is a great blocker who can make the difficult catch, but is not a scary athletic threat.  Think Gronkowski-light, especially near the end zone.  I have a feeling Gresham will get a little phased out this season and I would not want him to be more than a TE2 on my dynasty team.

Tyler Eifert

The second year tight end almost matched the seasoned Gresham with 39 receptions for 445 yards and two touchdowns versus Gresham’s 46 receptions for 461 yards and four touchdowns with a few less targets. Eifert is more athletic and dynamic, but is not half the blocker that Gresham is.  He, like Gresham, will suffer this year with the other one in town, but I would invest in Eifert to be a true TE1 next season and beyond.

For further questions or comments, please follow and contact me on twitter @AndrewMiley