Top Bengals fantasy options

The Hall of Fame Game officially kicked off the preseason last night, and that means computers across the country will begin to fire up with fantasy football owners participating in online drafts leading up to the regular season. Fantasy football has molded into an annual tradition for both casual and intense fans of the NFL who want to get more involved in following the statistical production of the players in the league. The Bengals have a few players on their roster that can help rack up points throughout the fantasy year. AJ Green was fourth in scoring among wide receivers last season with almost 203 points, and the Bengals defense finished fifth in fantasy scoring, just behind Seattle and Denver. 2013 will feature new weapons within the offense that can become sleepers in any fantasy league and as a result make owners look smart or maybe just plain lucky.

1. Andy Dalton-Quarterbacks are the most valuable players in fantasy football. Drew Brees outpaced Aaron Rodgers last season as the best player in fantasy football with almost 350 points. Dalton finished the year ranked twelfth in terms of fantasy quarterbacks. Dalton would have had more points if he cut down on some of his midyear interceptions. Dalton threw sixteen total interceptions last year and will almost certainly cut down on that number this season due to an increase in receiving weapons and a growing confidence with consistent personnel. Dalton's talented offensive line also returns in tact, which should allow him to gain more time in the pocket. Look for Andy Dalton to eclipse the 4,000 yard mark for the first time in his career and also throw for more than thirty touchdowns and decrease his picks to less than fifteen. If Dalton takes that next step and becomes more efficient with the ball, he will be considered in elite company with names such as Brees, Rodgers, and Tom Brady.

2. AJ Green-Green's 1,350 yards and eleven touchdowns put him directly behind Calvin Johnson, Brandon Marshall, and Dez Bryant in fantasy points. Green also has the capability to run reverses in the offense as he picked up 38 receiving yards last year. Green is currently sitting out training camp practices with a knee injury, but he is expected to be back in the lineup by preseason game number three. Green dropped a few passes last season, but he only fumbled the ball once and is as sure handed a receiver as anyone in the league. Green should surpass the one hundred catch mark this year and continue his climb to the top of the receiver ladder. Green will benefit from a lot of single coverage this year due to two tight end sets the Bengals will put on the field.

3. Bengals Defense/ST-The Bengals defense showed the ability to do it all last season, especially down the stretch. The Bengals generated the third most sacks in the NFL last year with 51, and they also scored three touchdowns and returned one on special teams. The fourteen interceptions that the defense collected is not a number that pops out at you, but that should be improved with Leon Hall getting his feet back under him completely last year and Reggie Nelson emerging as a top flight safety. A healthy Dre Kirkpatrick and an athletic George Iloka may surprise some people with a few interceptions. Also, don't forget about a rangy defensive line that can bat balls up in the air and end up forcing turnovers. I rank the Bengals third in defense right behind San Francisco and Chicago.

4. Giovani Bernard-Here is one of the dark horse players to take the NFL fantasy game by storm this season. Bernard will not be drafted early in fantasy football drafts, but he may turn out to be one of the most useful running backs in earning easy points every Sunday. Bernard will catch about fifty balls out of the backfield and run on the outside and between the tackles. There's no doubt the Bengals will find a way to get Bernard close to twenty touches per game in the offense starting from the get go. Fantasy owners should take a mid round flier on Bernard because of his positive status with the Bengals coaches and impressive college career. There is no reason the second round pick can't become what Doug Martin was to the Bucs and in fantasy leagues last year. Watch out for Gio.

5. Jermaine Gresham/Tyler Eifert-Jermaine Gresham just missed the top ten in fantasy tight ends last year with his 737 yards and five touchdowns. Gresha
m probably won't receive the same yardage totals as last year because of the addition of first rounder Tyler Eifert. The reason these two players will be so valuable is because of their red zone presence. Gresham and Eifert will probably both earn over five hundred receiving yards, but whichever player can find the end zone more often will be more valuable to fantasy owners. I think Eifert will end up with more touchdowns because of his ability to line up anywhere within the offense, but don't ignore Gresham's tendency to break tackles and punish covering defenders.

Rich Hidy
Cincy Sports Spot