Cincinnati Bengals Roster
- AFC North
- Stadium
- Paul Brown Stadium
- Head Coach
- Zac Taylor
- Offensive Coordinator
- Brian Callahan
- Defensive Coordinator
- Lou Anarumo
- Special Teams Coach
- Darrin Simmons
- Defensive Scheme
- 4-3
Cincinnati Bengals cornerback William Jackson III (shoulder) played with a torn labrum in his shoulder the entire season in 2019. "I don't know how I did it, but I did it. It was painful every game. I'm fully healthy and ready to go," Jackson said. The 27-year-old gutted it out through 14 games to record 37 tackles (26 solo), one interception and three passes defensed. It sounds like Jackson has recovered well and should be ready for the start of the regular season this fall. He could have a bounce-back year in 2020 if he's fully healthy, but Jackson hasn't ever been fantasy relevant in IDP leagues with just two career interceptions in 45 games for Cincy.
Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon is expected to be one of the most impactful players in 2020, at least according to USA Today's Chris Roling. Roling anticipates big things from the 23-year-old, and points to the team's enhanced offensive line, an upgraded passing attack, and familiarity with second-year head coach Zac Taylor's offensive schemes as the reasons for an expected breakout. Mixon saw a regression in production in 2019, finishing with 1,137 yards, five rushing touchdowns, and 35 receptions. He managed to play a full 16 games for the first time in his career last season and is anticipated to be a first-round fantasy selection in all formats for the upcoming campaign.
The Cincinnati Bengals are hoping they selected a franchise building block when they used the No. 1 overall pick on LSU quarterback Joe Burrow in the NFL draft last month. While Burrow has plenty of potential and is likely to start the majority of the team's 16 games in 2020, instant success may be hard to come by. Of the 50 rookie quarterbacks to have made at least eight starts since 2000, only 13 have finished with a winning record as a starter. Burrow has plenty of upside but he might not turn into a viable fantasy option until the 2021 season, at the earliest.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green has yet to sign his franchise tag with the team. Green, who was unable to play in 2019 after injuring his foot during training camp, would earn around $18 million. The 32-year-old has stated, however, that he would still play despite the absence of a long-term deal and has also already spoken with rookie quarterback Joe Burrow about setting up workouts. The former Georgia Bulldog ranks second in franchise history with 8,907 receiving yards as well as 602 receptions. He is projected to be a seventh-round pick in fantasy drafts this season, with the potential to exceed his ADP as long as he is on the field and healthy in 2020.
Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon and the team recently had "productive talks" regarding a new contract. However, while this is encouraging news, both parties aren't close to a new deal, with both sides prepared for a potential holdout this summer if necessary. The 23-year-old finished with 1,137 yards in 2019, good for eighth in the league, off of a fifth-best 278 attempts. With a slightly upgraded offensive line and the foursome of A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd, John Ross III, and the newly drafted Tee Higgins on the offensive end, the door is open for Mixon to have potentially his best season to date in 2020. He is slated to be selected somewhere in the first and second rounds of fantasy drafts this season, but his stock will fall if he isn't able to reach an agreement with the organization before the Bengals open things up against the Chargers in September.