Welcome to the Weekly Bengals Fantasy Football Aftermath Report!  Whether the good guys in the Jungle pulled out the W or not – we take a closer look at which Bengals performed and which ones flopped in your fantasy lineups.

QB Andy Dalton

ESPN Pregame Fantasy Outlook: A brutal start to the season saw the Bengals lose their first two games and post a league-worst 0.36 points per drive. Since Week 3, however, Dalton ranks 11th in fantasy points per game among quarterbacks, and the Bengals have now won three of their past four games. While the statistical momentum is encouraging, a visit with a rested Jacksonville defense that leads the league in sacks, has allowed the fewest yards per dropback and owns the lowest passer rating? That’s not an ideal setup for a quarterback who enters with a markedly low ceiling this season. It’s a tough week with several key teams on bye, but it’s clearly a risky endeavor to start any quarterback in Jacksonville at this point.
Projected: 13.2 Points
Actual: 5.2 Points
Our Grade: D
Notes: Going against a Jaguar’s Defense that has allowed the fewest passing yards to opposing teams – It’s no surprise that Dalton could never get it going. Our offensive live was exposed once again. Outside of a lone touchdown in the second quarter, the offense was once again abysmal. Hope you knew not to start Dalton at this point in the season.

RB Joe Mixon

ESPN Pregame Fantasy Outlook: If there’s one way to exploit a deep and talented Jacksonville defense, it’s on the ground. The Jaguars have allowed the most rushing yards per game (121.14) to tailbacks and the most yards per carry (5.27) to the position. Mixon finally delivered a huge payday in Week 8, taking a screen nearly 70 yards to the house against the Colts. With steady passing work and a majority share of early-down rushes for this gifted back in Jacksonville on Sunday afternoon, Mixon is a solid flex and arguably even a RB2 candidate to consider.
Projected: 10.5 Points
Actual: 12.1 Points
Our Grade: A-
Notes: Mixon had an okay game thanks to earning his second rushing TD of the season.. but going against a defense that has allowed the most rushing yards per game? It should have been so much more. But good news, the Bengals resigned Eric Winston and placed Jake Fisher on IR, So now we get to use the excuse that our offensive line sucks because they’re Old AND Young.

RB Giovani Bernard

ESPN Pregame Fantasy Outlook: Hauling in just over half of his 2.8 targets per game over the past four outings, there isn’t enough work each week for Bernard to be a relevant flex in PPR leagues. Given his marginalized role, Bernard can be left on the bench in a matchup that favors Joe Mixon.
Projected: 7.4 Points
Actual: -.1 Points
Our Grade: F
Notes: Not much to say here. I still believe Bernard has great play-making ability – but with being under-utilized by new coordinator Bill Lazor, (combined with the fact our offensive line is still in training camp) Bernard may never get it going again the rest of the season.

WR AJ Green

ESPN Pregame Fantasy Outlook: Ranked ninth in the league with 8.9 targets per game and third in yardage (81.7), Green remains in the must-start tier among superstar receivers. This matchup isn’t ideal, of course, as Jalen Ramsey is among the best coverage corners in the league, but the blend of targets and the talent Green brings to the field supports what is still an enviable outcome spectrum.
Projected: 12.6 Points
Actual: 1.1 Points ???
Our Grade: F-
Notes: AJ caught 1 pass in the first half prior to the fight with Ramsey. If there are any positives from this, it’s that it was nice to see some fight in him? No, i don’t think that’s it. I mean it was definitely the most entertaining part of the game for Bengals fans but the best part has to be the memes, jokes, and conversation that this fight brought on. AJ has been around a few years and everyone knows it’s not his character. Expect him to pull himself together and come up big next week vs the Titans. This is a guy that is, and has truly been, a class act for this organization and he genuinely cares.

TE Tyler Kroft

ESPN Pregame Fantasy Outlook: The bar for starting consideration among tight ends isn’t very high, given how shallow the position is during most weeks. In a week where six teams have a bye, the simple fact that Kroft has at least four receptions in four straight games is impressive enough to earn him real value for this matchup with the Jaguars, a team surrendering the 13th-most fantasy points per game to tight ends.
Projected: 6.4 Points
Actual: 8.9 Points 
Our Grade: B
Notes: Kroft caught 2 passes for 79 yards and 1 of those went for 59 in which he hit a beautiful spin move to shake the tacklers. Kroft’s pass catching ability has never been in question but everything else might be. With Eifert out for the year, It’s possible to start seeing more of this – but I wouldn’t hold my breath with this offense.

DST Bengals Defense

ESPN Pregame Fantasy Outlook: The Jaguars offense has explicit focused on the run this season and that could curb the fantasy fun for the Bengals D/ST this week, as they’ve been dependent on exploiting opposing passers this season. If the Bengals can slow the Jaguars rushing attack, there is some real upside for them going up against the likes of Blake Bortles, but the risk of Jacksonville’s success in winning the time of possession battle in a lopsided fashion tempers the projection for this unit in Week 9.
Projected: 9 Points
Actual: .5 Points ?
Our Grade: F
Notes: Being on the field for 40 minutes out of 60 is a lot for any team. Though their fantasy score doesn’t show it, they did all they could do but they need help from the offense to stay off the field who only managed to get 8 first downs the entire game. Yes, the Jags were without their star rusher in Fournette but any team in the NFL whose defense is on the field for 40 minutes would probably give up more points to this Jags team as well.

K Randy Bullock

ESPN Pregame Fantasy Outlook:

Bengals’ Week 9 Fantasy “Startability”: 28%

All fantasy point scoring is based on Half Point PPR and 4 point passing touchdowns.

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