One of the late free agency deals Monday saw running back Zack Moss sign a two-year, $8 million deal with the Cincinnati Bengals, who also released Joe Mixon in a corresponding move. Mixon will be likely getting some looks from teams looking to improve their backfield. Mixon is coming off a 1,000-yard season with nine touchdowns, but his off-field issues and contract made it impossible for Cincinnati to keep him with others needing to be taken care of.
Zack Moss contract with Bengals
Moss is on a two-year deal that pays him $8 million, which is extremely affordable for a player of his caliber. The running back filled in admirably when Jonathan Taylor was out last year for the Colts, and finished the season with 794 yards and five touchdowns. Both are career high marks for Moss.
Fantasy football impact
This doesn’t automatically mean Moss will be the starting running back for the Bengals. Chase Brown, who put up 1,643 yards and 10 touchdowns in his final college season, saw some extended run for Cincinnati late in the year. He’s likely going to be in contention for some touches, especially in the receiving game. That means Moss likely splits work with Brown, which hurts both players in fantasy football. Brown has more upside due to his ability as a receiver and thus can be considered a fringe RB2. Moss likely is in the RB3 tier, although either player would be firmly in the RB2 category if there’s separation and one gets preference over the other.
As for Mixon, he’s been a RB1 lock for a long time in fantasy football circles. We’ll have to see where he lands to get a better gauge on his fantasy outlook but the talent is still there and he’s still only 27. He should still be on fantasy radars, even though his time in Cincinnati has come to an end.