Any questions about injuries derailing his career were vehemently
squashed, as Joe Cool enjoyed the best statistical season of his
NFL career last season. Behind a league high 652 attempts, Burrow
led the NFL with 4,918 yards passing, and 43 touchdowns, and cemented
himself as fantasy’s best pocket passer. More of a scrambler
than runner, Burrow relies on a heavy volume (Cinci had the highest
pass percentage in the NFL) and the best tandem of receivers in
the game, to attack all levels of the field.
With the Bengals doing little to improve one of the worst defenses,
Burrow and the offense are going to have to win plenty of shootouts,
and while not great for real football, it’s quite a boon
for fantasy owners of any Bengals offensive player. Burrow is
more focused and determined as ever and the metrics show he's
only getting better. His 70.6 completion percentage was a career
best, as was his 43-9 touchdown to inception ratio. As a pocket
passer his upside and weekly consistently will be capped a bit,
but he’s the first QB off my board after Jackson, Allen,
Daniels, and Hurts and someone I’d love to stack with Chase
or Higgins.
A popular sleeper entering last season, Brown started the year
off slow, as he split time with veteran Zack
Moss. But as Moss suffered a series of injuries, Brown saw
more snaps, and eventually took over the backfield. A 27-carry,
120-yard game in Week 9 against the Raiders was the turning point,
as Brown finished the 2nd half of the season on a tear, vaulting
into the high end RB1 conversation. His versatility (54 receptions)
and ability to handle a full workload (ended up playing on 65%
of the offensive snaps for the season, which was 11th among running
backs) signal this is now Brown’s backfield. With only fringe
roster players Moss, Samaje
Perine, and 6th rounder Tahj Brooks behind him, Brown should
dominate touches, and find himself in the top-5 conversation in
most formats.
Brooks, the 6th round rookie out of Texas Tech is worth a look
as a late-round flier or handcuff for Brown. With Zach Moss the
only impediment to the main backup role, Brooks doesn’t exactly
have a long climb up the depth chart. While he doesn’t have elite
long speed, his frame, quickness in the hole, and angry running
style, combine with instincts and feel in the passing game to
set him up to succeed in the NFL. On an offense like the Bengals,
where the passing game threats can lead to some massive running
lanes, Brooks has a chance to make some noise as an end of the
draft asset. Brooks was a prolific college runner, and has already
drawn praises in offseason work. Don’t be surprised if he finds
his way into meaningful snaps this season.
Compiling one of the best receiver seasons in recent history,
Chase won the “Triple Crown” by leading the NFL in receptions
(127), yards (1,708) and touchdowns (17). A symbiotic relationship
with his QB provides him ultimate trust on any down a distance.
With contract distractions in the rearview mirror, Chase is once
again poised to be fantasy’s best bet. The Bengals are almost
assuredly to be among the league leaders in passing, so the target
and yardage numbers will be there, and as the No.1 option on all
areas of the field, Chase should once again be guaranteed double-digit
scores. Surprisingly the healthy presence of Tee Higgins is actually
a benefit for Chase, as his numbers with his teammate on the field
actually improve! There isn’t much analysis necessary for the
near consensus No.1 overall pick.
In another injury plagued, but wildly productive year, it seemed
a given that Higgins would be moving on from the Bengals this
offseason. But in true “the best defense is a good offense”
philosophy, Cinci re-signed both Chase and Higgins to multi-year
deals, giving Joe Burrow both of his elite weapons for the next
few seasons.
Despite starting only 12 games due to leg injuries, Higgins was
a top-20 option, scoring a career high 10 touchdowns, and nearly
reaching 1,000 yards. His 12.6 fantasy points per game average
in standard leagues was tied for 2nd in the NFL, meaning his time
on the field was ultra efficient! This passing offense can certainly
support both Chase and Higgins as WR1 options, especially if Tee
can manage to stay healthy for 15+ games. Unfortunately, his range
of outcomes will simply come down to health. With that risk baked
into his value, Higgins might be the ultimate risk/reward pick
among fantasy receivers.
After languishing in Miami and New England, Gesicki returned
to relevance last season in Cincinnati, piling up his best statistical
season since 2021. Filling the “big” receiver role
in the offense for several games due to the absence of Tee Higgins,
Gesicki parlayed his strong 2024 into a 3-year deal. The 29-year-old
gives Burrow another veteran receiver that can challenge defenders
down the field, and is often a mismatch for the lower tier defenders
that aren’t trying to corral Chase and Higgins. Despite
being on such a prolific offense, the tight end position isn’t
featured much in the scheme. Some of Gesicki’s best games
came with Higgins out, and he was largely invisible when Higgins
was healthy. Most of his stats came in just four games, making
him a wildly inconsistent, and unreliable fantasy option. Best
viewed as a TE2, Gesicki will probably be at best a bye-week option
for most fantasy squads.
