Alex Erickson one of few bright spots for Bengals in loss to Texans

With Tyler Boyd being a shocking last minute scratch due to an apparent hamstring issue, the workload for Alex Erickson saw a major increase against the Houston Texans.

2017 first-round pick John Ross also fumbled on his first and only touch of the day, and Alex also picked up Ross’ touches after that. It was another ugly outing for most of the team, as the Bengals failed to score a touchdown for the second consecutive home game (a feat last “achieved” by the 1939 Eagles).

However, Erickson showed up on Thursday night in more ways than one. Finding touches as a runner, receiver, punt returner, and kick returner, the former Wisconsin Badger accounted for 197 all-purpose yards in prime time.

In addition to showing how nimble Erickson is on his feet, he was about as reliable of a target as you could hope for if you’re Andy Dalton. It’s quite impressive that a former undrafted rookie free agent can rise to near the top of a very talented group of offensive skill position players.

Most coaches will tell you the best kind of ability is availability and Erickson is available to play anywhere you want on offense and special teams. That might make him one of the most valuable Cincinnati Bengals on the entire roster going forward.