Fantasy Football: Bengals Bye Week Stock Report

A.J. Green

The consensus first overall pick off the Bengals roster is performing at a high level, as expected. Green is currently the 17th highest scoring wide receiver. Of course, Green missed nearly an entire game in Week 2 against Atlanta. When you factor out that game, Green is actually averaging the fifth-most points at his position. He's in a similar ranking in PPR scoring formats.

Outlook: Green's average points per game is more indicative of what owners should continue to see throughout this season provided he stay healthy.

Giovani Bernard

Bernard was drafted a bit early for my liking in many leagues. A second-round price tag for Bernard was a bit too steep, but he seems to be paying off for those that took the plunge. Even in standard scoring, Bernard is currently the fourth best running back through three weeks. The same applies to PPR.

Outlook: Bernard will likely be an RB2 in standard leagues with the expected upside in leagues that award for receptions. He's an every week start even against tougher defenses, due to his ability to get involved in the passing game. It's very possible Bernard will flirt with top-10 numbers by the end of the season. That said, you'll never get a better opportunity to trade Bernard if you're looking to use RB1 value in your trade. However, Bernard is a keeper, and owners should feel thrilled heading into the bye week.

Andy Dalton

Dalton's success on the field hasn't necessarily translated into fantasy gold. Dalton is currently the 14th best quarterback through three weeks. Dalton still shows some upside considering the fact that he's only thrown two touchdowns this season. Granted, he caught one in Week 3. Still, after 33 touchdowns in 2013, it's hard to envision Dalton seeing his touchdowns continue at the low rate we've seen so far.

Outlook: It's likely that Dalton will continue to sniff at top-10 status, but the reality is that there are plenty of great fantasy producers at his position this season. He's certainly worth keeping on your roster, but he's better suited as a plug-and-play option. That said, if Dalton is your only quarterback, it's hard to imagine him costing you your season especially in deeper leagues.

Mohamed Sanu

Sanu is actually the 18th best wide receiver through three weeks. Aside from his overall improvement as a player, he's benefited from the absence of Marvin Jones and Tyler Eifert. With a slew of injuries going on around the league, odds are, a small percentage of owners (six percent in Week 3) started Sanu here and there over the past three weeks. He's performed like a high-end WR3 for the most part.

Outlook: Sanu will continue to have some great games, but he'll be more of a WR4 as soon as Jones and Eifert return. It's possible that he continues to draw looks from Dalton, but it just doesn't seem sustainable at this point. If there is anyone in dire need of a wide receiver in your league, now would be the time to sell him. Otherwise, continue to use him as a band-aid even when the Bengals offense is fully healthy.

Jeremy Hill

I thought Hill was a fantastic value pick in August. He's currently putting together top-25 numbers thanks largely to his Week 2 performance.

Outlook: Hill will likely continue to be fairly touchdown reliant, but he'll have games like the one we saw against Atlanta from time to time. He's a great option to have available whenever you're in a bind during a bye week or injury. Continue using Hill as needed, but know that he could be hit or miss for a good portion of the season.

Bengals defense

The Bengals defense is currently a top-five performer for the season. They are sitting with seven sacks, six interceptions, a fumble recovery and a safety. They have held their opponents to an average of 11 points through three weeks.

Outlook: I presumed the Bengals could easily end up being a top-five fantasy option in 2014. So far, that's looking to be the case. They have their share of strong offenses ahead of them, but the fact that they held Atlanta to 10 points in Week 2 is huge - the Falcons scored 37 points against the New Orleans Saints in Week 1 and 56 points against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3. Don't drop the Bengals defense during their bye week. Find a way to roster two defenses for just one week.

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