Let’s get this straight. Come February, these two statements will be true:
- The Bengals will not get back to the Super Bowl.
- Ja’Marr Chase will not score 260 points in fantasy (1/2 PPR).
Let me explain myself…
Before you yell at me, Cincinnati (I live here too) let’s take a look. Other than the Patriots in 2017 and 2018, the last team to reach the Super Bowl after losing it the previous year was the 1993 Buffalo Bills. However they finished that season by losing a record FOURTH Super Bowl in a row. Those Buffalo teams, and the 2017/2018 Patriots, were the class of the AFC.
The Bengals, sadly, are not. While they’ve come a long way with Joe Burrow and enter the season sporting a new-look offensive line, Rotowire has them at 13-1 to win the AFC. Ranking the boys in orange and black below the Broncos, Ravens, and Chargers is at least questionable. However does anyone really think the Bengals are better than the Bills or Chiefs? I don’t.
Why not Ja’Marr Chase?
Now, as for Mr. Ja’Marr Chase. Obviously an elite talent, he put the league on notice last year and helped bring Burrow’s game to the next level. His 264.1 1/2 PPR locked him in as the WR5, and I’m sure great things are in store for 2022. When we look at 2020 and 2021 from a fantasy perspective, only one receiver managed to finish in the top five at the position in both years. That man is Davante Adams, playing with almost no competition for targets in Green Bay.
This draft season, Fantasy Pros has Chase listed at #10 OVERALL. Hey, I’d love to see it happen, but so much can go wrong here. Defenses are more likely to double Chase to avoid getting cooked, and those defenses willing to play man will at least have some more film to work with. Burrow isn’t going to throw into double coverage over and over again; expect a bump in production from Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd.
Again, Cincinnati, you’re going to want to yell at me. I’m not saying don’t draft Chase, just don’t pass on Travis Kelce in the late first or early second to take him. Get your value out of Higgins and Boyd in the later rounds. Invest in the Bills and Chiefs to take the AFC crown, and spend your winnings on massively overpriced beers at Paul Brown.
With any luck, the Bengals will do something truly remarkable and win a playoff game two years IN A ROW. Here’s to hoping.
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