The Bengals got a much-needed 17-7 win against the Giants last week, but their running backs were quiet for most of the evening. Prior to Chase Brown’s 30-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, Cincinnati’s backs had a total of 36 rushing yards on 15 carries (2.4 YPC).
Offseason pickup Zack Moss has seen his production plummet recently. Over the past two weeks, the former Colt has gained a total of 37 rushing yards on 15 carries. Entering a pivotal AFC North clash against the Browns, can fantasy managers start him on Sunday?
When it comes to Moss, fantasy managers are facing a true dilemma. The Bengals have been one of the league’s worst rushing attacks, putting up an average of 100.2 yards on the ground (seventh-lowest in the NFL). Through six games, Moss has been one of the league’s least-efficient rushers. According to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, he’s responsible for -44 rush yards over expected, fifth-worst amongst all qualified players.
To make matters worse, Brown has begun to emerge as the go-to tailback. In Week 1, Moss led the backfield with 33 snaps (65%). Flash forward to Week 6, and things have been flipped. Brown led the way with 33 snaps (62%) while Moss had just 24 (45%). Cincinnati’s offense might be good enough to support two running backs, but it’s not a gamble most fantasy managers should be willing to make.
Cleveland’s defense is allowing 4.7 yards per carry (ninth-worst in the NFL), but it isn’t a pushover on the defensive line. Considering the number of issues facing Moss this week, there’s no guarantee that he’s going to command half of the team’s carries, let alone put up a respectable stat line. The 2-4 Bengals should get out to more big leads, and run the ball more, going forward. That doesn’t mean managers need to start a player getting phased out of the offense.
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