Bengals at Browns: Fantasy football starts and sits for Week 16

The Bengals will be looking to go into Cleveland and get some revenge for their Week 12 loss to the Browns. However, their offense has been completely wiped out, but is there still players worth being in your lineup for your championship game?

Must start

Joe Mixon (Bengals RB): Mixon has had over 20 carries the past two weeks, and it isn’t a coincidence that he has had some of his best weeks of the 2018 season. With Jeff Driskel leading the offense without guys like A.J. Green and Tyler Boyd in the lineup, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see that trend continue. Especially as the team will likely want to see Mixon get over 1,000 yards rushing (he is only five yards away).

Nick Chubb (Browns RB): Chubb ran over the Bengals defense the last time they met. He had over 100 total yards and two touchdowns. The Browns seems to be very committed to running the ball with Chubb despite their rookie quarterback lighting it up, which is pretty rare for play callers in this day and age. It is easy to expect over 100 yards and a touchdown from Chubb this week.

Favorable matchups

Baker Mayfield (Browns QB): Mayfield had his best game as a pro the last time these teams played when he threw four touchdowns 258 yards. You shouldn’t expect that same kind of out put as the Bengals defense has been better since then. If you are in need of a quarterback after losing a guy like Carson Wentz or Cam Newton, Mayfield seems like one of the better options.

Browns defense: There is no Andy Dalton, Green or Boyd this week. I don’t think this is a must start defense, but if you have been streaming defenses all the way to the championship, this is a pretty good option as Myles Garrett could have a field day getting to Driskel.

Good but not great

Browns receivers: Between Antonio Callaway and Jarvis Landry it is hard to predict who will have a fantasy worthy game. I’d consider both risky flex options. Mayfield is just too good at spreading the ball around, and you are just as likely to see one of these guys end up with 80 yards and a touchdown or a single catch for 20 yards.

John Ross (Bengals WR): This one isn’t Ross’ fault. Last week he was open for two throws that should’ve been touchdowns, but Driskel missed on both. Those were just the ones he actually threw it to Ross on as well. With the absence of Green and Boyd, Ross should be in line for a pretty decent amount of targets. I personally wouldn’t risk playing him in a championship game unless you are in a deep league, though. Ross and Driskel just don’t appear to be on the same page, and the fact he was limited most of the week doesn’t help.

Bengals defense: Cincinnati’s defense has been much improved over the past several weeks as they’ve gone back to more of a man-to-man defense. They are still extremely banged up at linebacker, and they just haven’t been very good at creating turnovers recently to make up for the points they are likely to give up.

David Njoku (Browns TE): The last meaningful game Njoku had was against the Bengals when he caught five passes for 63 yards and got carried into the endzone. In his three weeks since that game he has nine catches for 73 yards and no touchdowns. Honestly the only reason he isn’t in temper expectations is the game he had against the Bengals in Week 12. He suffers from Mayfield being just too good at spreading the ball around.

Temper expectations

C.J. Uzomah (Bengals TE): Uzomah hasn’t scored since the Chiefs game. There is a chance he could see more targets with Boyd out, but Driskel has seemed to be just as happy to throw to Matt Lengel as Uzomah, which kills most of his value.

Jeff Driskel (Bengals QB): Driskel doesn’t have any of the Bengals premiere offensive weapons, and his connection with Ross has been shaky at best. His rushing ability gives him some extra value, but his accuracy issues last week makes it hard to suggest putting him in any lineup.