Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
As you have heard me say before, I like Giovani Bernard. I like him a lot. The potential he brings to the Cincinnati Bengals‘ offense is going to be fun to watch unfold as the season progresses.
Bernard is a versatile back, one that can be active in the screen game if needed, or simply pound it between the tackles. He has already proven throughout camp, the preseason and Week 1 that he will be a very good player in the NFL.
But, is he worth starting this week in your fantasy football league? As much as I want to tell you to give it a shot, I have to hold off for now. In Week 1 against the Chicago Bears, Bernard had just four carries but averaged 5.5 yards per carry. He also had a catch for eight yards, giving him a total of 3.0 fantasy points on the day, 4.0 if you’re in a PPR league.
In Week 2, the Bengals play the now pathetic looking Pittsburgh Steelers. Both teams are 0-1 in a winless division and looking to make sure they don’t start out with a pair of losses.
I would guess that Bernard is used a bit more often, as quarterback Andy Dalton simply found a rhythm with A.J. Green last week and the Bengals continued to roll with it against Chicago. Bernard should continue to see an elevated workload, eventually splitting carries with Benjarvis Green-Ellis.
I’d keep Bernard on the bench this week, unless you are in a deep league with 12 teams or more. Depending on how he performs and the type of work he’s given on Sunday, check back with us next week and we’ll make sure to give you our thoughts on inserting him into the lineup in Week 4.
Ryan Heckman is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ryanmheckman, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
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