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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase had a rookie season for the ages in 2021. Chase was selected to a pro bowl on top of being voted the offensive rookie of the year by three separate outlets. He sat out of football during 2020 and garnered attention during training camp for dropping passes. Once the season started, Chase was lights out.
Chase will look to improve on his number from last season, and with him having familiarity with quarterback Joe Burrow year two for the receiver could see him challenge for the league lead in receiving yards. The Bengals made it to the Super Bowl last season with a battered offensive line, but they have upgraded both sides of the ball and look to be in the mix again. Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd are back next seasons, but it shouldn’t slow Chase down.
2021 season statistics & fantasy finish
Receiving: Chase caught 81 passes for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns. He averaged 18 yards per reception and 85.6 yards per game.
Fantasy: Chase racked up 304.6 points for an average of 17.9 points per game in a PPR league. In a standard scoring league he had 223.6 points and 13.2 points per game.
Bengals offseason moves
The Bengals added several free agent acquisitions, including La’el Collins, Alex Cappa, Ted Karras, and Hayden Hurst. Improving their offensive line was something they needed to do, and they did it. The defensive secondary improved with the addition of Daxton Hill in the draft. The AFC North vastly improved, so it will be a fight for them to win again, but they have the talent to win.
2022 best case scenario
The best case scenario for Chase in 2022 is for him to explode off his numbers next year, getting over 1,600 yards and close to 16 touchdowns. With Hurst in the fold as well as Boyd and Higgins, it shouldn’t affect his numbers tremendously because of how good he is. Chase is a WR1, and it reflects on the field week in and week out.
2022 worst case scenario
The worst case scenario is he will regress slightly and either repeat the same numbers or have lower receiving numbers. Hurst could finally have a breakout season as his quarterback ,and Higgins takes a huge step forward taking targets away from Chase.
2022 prediction
Chase is the Bengals best receiving option by far, and he’ll show it again this season. He will surpass his numbers from last year and cement himself as a top-five receiver in the league. His ceiling for the season is a WR1 and a top-five in the league. His floor is a top-10 receiver in the league, but it should be towards the higher end.