Troubled Start for the Cincinnati Bengals: A Season Overview

2024 NFL Fantasy Football: Evaluating the Cincinnati Bengals’ Struggles and Betting Opportunities

The Bengals are off to a nightmare start in 2024, sitting at 0-3. For a team expected to contend for a playoff spot, this is a significant disappointment. However, for fantasy football players and bettors, their struggles present some intriguing opportunities. Let’s dive into the current state of the Bengals, what to expect from key players like Joe Burrow, and where to find value in fantasy and betting markets.

Bengals’ Defense: The Achilles’ Heel

One of the biggest issues plaguing Cincinnati is their defense, which has been a sieve through the first three games of the season. The Bengals’ inability to stop anyone is not only costing them wins but also making it difficult for the offense to get into a rhythm. Cincinnati’s defense ranks among the worst in the league, consistently giving up chunk plays and failing to hold up in critical situations.

This poor defensive play creates a situation where the Bengals often find themselves in high-scoring affairs, which can lead to opportunities in fantasy football but raises concerns about their long-term viability as a winning team.

Betting Tip: Avoid betting on Bengals’ win totals for now. With a defense that can’t stop anyone, Cincinnati is in for a long season. Their 0-3 start isn’t a fluke, and unless their defense turns things around drastically, it’s hard to see them making a playoff push. If you’re looking at team totals or win totals, it may be wise to fade the Bengals for now.

Joe Burrow: A Fantasy Bargain?

Burrow is priced at $6,600 on DraftKings for Week 4, which, considering his past fantasy success, seems like a bargain. While the Bengals have struggled overall, Burrow has still shown flashes of the player that led them to back-to-back playoff appearances in recent years. In his most recent outing, Burrow put up solid fantasy numbers against the Washington Commanders, despite the Bengals falling short in the win column.

Burrow’s connection with Ja’Marr Chase has remained strong, and the team is working to get Tee. Higgins more involved after his brief absence. The Bengals face the Carolina Panthers this week, a matchup that could lead to a high-scoring game, given the Panthers’ own defensive struggles.

Betting Tip: Buy Joe Burrow in DFS at $6,600. Burrow is undervalued at this price point, especially in a matchup that promises points. While he may not be your top quarterback option, he’s a solid play for those looking to save money on DFS lineups. He could easily finish as a top-five QB this week given the Panthers’ weak secondary.

Ja’Marr Chase and Tee. Higgins: The Dynamic Duo

Chase remains one of the most dangerous weapons in fantasy football, and Burrow continues to look his way in critical moments. Chase is always a solid play, regardless of the Bengals’ overall struggles. Higgins, on the other hand, has been a bit more inconsistent this season, but his chemistry with Burrow is improving, especially in the red zone.

Fantasy managers and bettors should monitor Higgins’ usage closely as the Bengals try to get him more involved in the offense. His red-zone targets could lead to a breakout performance sooner rather than later.

Betting Tip: Bet on Chase’s yardage props. Even if the Bengals continue to lose, Chase is almost guaranteed to see significant volume in this offense. Betting on Chase to hit the over on yardage props in upcoming games feels like a smart play, especially with Burrow relying on him heavily.

Is There Hope for the Bengals?

While Cincinnati’s defense is a mess, there is still hope for their offense. Burrow and the passing attack have the potential to put up points, even if the Bengals aren’t winning games. This makes them intriguing from a fantasy perspective, even if you’re not sold on their real-life performance.

The Bengals’ upcoming schedule includes games against teams like Carolina and the Cleveland Browns, which could provide opportunities for their offense to flourish in high-scoring affairs. While Cincinnati may not turn its season around in terms of wins, fantasy managers and bettors should still keep an eye on their offensive players.

Betting Tip: Bet on the over in Bengals games. Given their defensive issues and the fact that their offense can still score, betting the over in games involving the Bengals could be a profitable strategy moving forward. High-scoring games seem inevitable with their current makeup.

Conclusion: Buy Low on Burrow, Cautious Optimism for the Bengals’ Offense

The Bengals are in trouble as a team, but there’s still plenty of value to be found in fantasy football and betting markets. Burrow at $6,600 in DFS is a strong play, as is targeting Chase in player props. While the defense continues to be the team’s downfall, the offense can still produce for fantasy purposes.

If you’re betting on Bengals’ games, leaning into high-scoring outcomes by betting the over could be your best option. As for team futures, it’s wise to avoid betting on the Bengals to turn things around until their defense shows significant improvement.

You can read all about what’s going on in the National Football League at SportsGrid.com.