Fantasy Sports Fantasy Football

Fantasy Football Week 12 Start or Sit: Giovani Bernard

Fresh Videos

By

Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Giovani Bernard is expected to return this Sunday after missing three straight games. The return may have little effect on the Cincinnati Bengals, as Jeremy Hill filled in quite nicely, rushing for more than 150 yards in two of the last three games.

Bernard was, and likely still is, the Bengals’ top running back. He has double-digit fantasy points in five of his seven games. Hill has three double-digit fantasy performances, but they all came in games in which he ran the ball 15 or more times.

The Bengals are on the road this Sunday to take on the Houston Texans who have allowed a minimum of a 100 total yards to running backs this season. Houston, for the most part, has been pretty decent against the run, allowing just over 19 fantasy points per game. The Texans have allowed a total of seven touchdowns to opposing backfields and 1,040 yards on the ground which is the 12th-most in the NFL.

In what has become an incredibly tight race in the AFC North, with every team at least two games over .500, the Bengals need a win to keep pace in the division. Last Sunday, Hill gashed the New Orleans Saints for over 150 yards on the ground which helped Cincy knock off New Orleans in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

If the Bengals want to keep pace in the AFC North, they will likely do so with a heavy dose of the run. At this point in the season, it’s pretty safe to assume that Bernard and Hill will split carries for the foreseeable future. Bernard may not be back to 100 percent when he returns from his hip injury, so Hill may actually see more carries this week. Hill has proven that he can be a workhorse back and thrives when he sees more touches.

Bernard is still the more versatile back and will be used heavily in the passing game. Before the injury, Bernard was a top-10 running back. While he was out, Hill was a top-10 running back. With both backs being in the fold they should remain in the top 20, but don’t expect them to deserve any RB1 consideration.

Bernard has more upside because if the Bengals fall behind and start passing the ball, he will see more catches than Hill. He could be a decent RB2 candidate for this week or a quality flex option in your respective fantasy league.

Patrick Puzzo is a Fantasy writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @patrickpuzzo_24, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google

Share Tweet
Trending Now on