NFL training camps are open, and for millions of people worldwide their fantasy football preparation has begun in earnest. Here at Sports World News we will break down all 32 NFL teams in terms of their fantasy value. Readers will find the must-own players in every format, the sleepers in specific formats, and hidden gems only necessary for those in very deep leagues.
Today's preview will be on the Cincinnati Bengals.
Must Own
A.J. Green, WR: Over the past two seasons Green's been as consistent as can be, averaging 98 catches, 1,388 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Bengals lost offensive coordinator Jay Gruden this offseason, and drafted a hard-charging running back so there may be a bit of a shift toward the ground game in 2014.
Even still, Green is bulletproof as a fantasy option. There are no threats to steal targets away, and attempts to cover him are futile. Draft him very high.
Giovani Bernard, RB: After a successful rookie season platooning with BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Bernard appears ready to assume a greater share of the carries in Cincy's backfield.
With increased touches, Bernard could vault into the first-round picture by next season. At 5-feet-nine inches Bernard isn't imposing, but he has proven between-the-tackles chops and also is a dynamic receiver out of the backfield. He could lose touchdowns to rookie rusher Jeremy Hill, but he's shown effectiveness near the goal line in addition to 3.5 catches per game.
Sleepers (Best Format):
Andy Dalton, QB (Standard): Andy Dalton was one of the five best quarterbacks in fantasy last season. Crazy right? On a per game basis though Dalton was wildly inconsistent, which frustrated owners in 2013 and depresses his value this year. Adding a new offensive coordinator didn't boost him up either. Still, in a two-QB format he's one of the better QB2 options around.
Jeremy Hill, RB (Standard): Hill wasn't brought in to just watch Bernard run all over the place. Bernard may be a tough, capable back, but he's still small. In this age of platoons, Hill can be the thunder to Bernard's lightning. He can ram the rock into the end zone from close range, and there's no obligation to feed him like they did Green-Ellis owing to his veteran status.
Mohamed Sanu, WR (Standard): In PPR formats it's unlikely Sanu makes a big difference, but with Marvin Jones out a while he's going to slide right into the No. 2 wide receiver role. If Dalton's pass attempts aren't reduced too drastically, Sanu's height makes him a nice red zone threat.
Defense/Special Teams: They probably won't be elite, but with Geno Atkins back wreaking havoc the Bengals shouldn't give up a ton of points. They also have four games against the Browns, who lost their best receiver to suspension, and the Ravens, whose big offseason addition was Steve Smith.
Deep Finds (Best Format)
Tyler Eifert, TE (PPR): Eifert is a promising tight end who was effective last season, but not particularly relevant for fantasy owners. The potential is there-Eifert was drafted to be mainly a receiving weapon, and he did catch 39 passes.
Eifert shares the role with Jermaine Gresham though, an excellent blocker and solid pass-catcher as well. Gresham's effectiveness limited Eifert to just 60 targets. If he was featured full-time he could evolve into a must-own, but as long as Gresham's there he's little more than a lottery ticket.
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