The Cincinnati Bengals put Jeremy Hill on the bench after some fumbling issues, but in Week 3 he should be the fantasy starter again over Giovani Bernard when the team takes on the Ravens. Bernard remains a sleeper option behind Hill as a fantasy handcuff, while AJ Green and Tyler Eifert are the best starter picks for Andy Dalton.
Hill is the top back on the depth chart, but he dealt with some fumbling problems on Sunday against the Chargers, putting two balls on the ground in the first half. Hill was benched after that in favor of Giovani Bernard for part of the second half, but he is expected to be back in the mix on Sunday. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, offensive coordinator Hue Jackson said that the team will "put him back" in when asked about Hill's status for Week 3.
Bernard came in and had a strong game for the Bengals, rushing for 123 yards on 20 carries, but Hill is the feature back and he will return to that spot in Week 3. According to Pro Football Talk, head coach Marvin Lewis said that he isn't worried about the fumbles being a lingering issue for Hill. Last season Hill had five fumbles and on Sunday he lost both of the balls he put on the ground. Last season Hill had a breakout year and he overtook Bernard as the lead back for the Bengals offense.
Hill had just 39 yards on 10 carries against the Chargers and that came after he put up 63 yards in the opening game of the season while scoring two touchdowns. The Bengals like to use both Hill and Bernard on offense, but Hill is clearly the lead back. Last season Hill had 1124 yards in 16 games and had nine touchdowns on the year and he was a key part of the offensive success for the team. This season Hill has 102 yards on 29 carries and he faces off against the Ravens in a tough divisional matchup this weekend.
Bernard is more of a versatile back, as he can catch passes out of the backfield and is a good option on third downs behind Hill. Bernard had 63 yards in the opening game along with six catches and on Sunday he averaged 6.2 yards per carry and had three catches for 16 yards against the Chargers. Last season Bernard had 680 yards while splitting time with Hill, but he also was very productive in the running game, putting up 43 catches for 349 yards.
AJ Green and Tyler Eifert remain the top fantasy options for Andy Dalton and the team could put up some solid numbers this week after the Ravens were torched by the Raiders. Green has eight catches for 108 yards this season and one touchdown and he had three catches for 45 yards against the Chargers on Sunday. Eifert opened the season with a huge game with nine catches for 104 yards and two scores and he added another TD on Sunday along with four catches for 49 yards.
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