How to watch, what to watch for Bengals vs. Washington in Week 11

The Cincinnati Bengals and the Washington Football Team head into Week 11 trying to pick themselves off the mat after some dispiriting results last Sunday.

Washington (2-7) thought it had pushed its Week 10 battle in Detroit to overtime after a Dustin Hopkins field goal tied the score with less than 20 seconds remaining. However, hopes were dashed when the Lions quickly got in position for Matt Prater to hit a 59-yard game-winner. Alex Smith, in his first start in almost two years, chucked 55 passes as the Football Team fell behind 24-3. As expected, he threw a bunch of short stuff, highlighted by running back J.D. McKissic’s 15 targets. He caught seven of them for 43 yards and a score. Otherwise, Smith leaned on his No. 1 wideout, Terry McLaurin, who responded with seven catches for 95 yards and a 27-yard run. Running back Antonio Gibson may be a touchdown-dependent RB2 for the rest of the season, but he paid off in Week 10 with two short TDs.

Unlike Washington, the Bengals (2-6-1) didn’t have their hearts ripped out; they were moreso stomped into mush by the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 36-10 defeat. Pittsburgh’s pressuring defense and high winds were a double whammy for quarterback Joe Burrow, who ended with 12.5 fantasy points. Wide receiver Tee Higgins was Cincy’s lone offensive standout as he posted a season-best fantasy performance: seven catches, 115 yards and a touchdown. The Bengals, missing Joe Mixon for the third straight game, didn’t get much going on the ground. Giovani Bernard remained the backfield leader but gained just 47 yards on 12 touches — eight carries, four catches. Samaje Perine was actually the Bengals’ top rusher as he racked up 48 yards on seven carries.

TV Info

Date: Sunday, Nov. 22
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Channel: CBS
Broadcast map

Notable Statistical rankings (Football Outsiders)

Bengals: #30 Overall — #26 offense, #30 defense, #14 special teams
Washington: #24 Overall — #30 offense, #7 defense, #25 special teams

DraftKings Sportsbook odds

Bengals: +1.5, +106
Washington: -1.5, -121
Total: 46.5

Fantasy football start/sit advice

Bengals

Tee Higgins, WR, $5,900

Higgins’ price is up to a season-high level, but deservingly so. He has averaged more than 20 DraftKings points over his last four contests, which includes big games in some fairly challenging matchups. He has clearly supplanted A.J. Green as the Bengals’ top perimeter receiver, and while Washington has allowed the fewest fantasy points per game to opposing WRs, there is nothing that really scares you about that secondary. Detroit’s Marvin Jones Jr. and Marvin Hall each had more than 60 yards and a TD against Washington last week.

Giovani Bernard, RB, $5,500

Don’t be too worried about Perine; four of his seven carries last week came during the fourth quarter when the Bengals were just trying to get out of town. If Mixon misses yet another week, Bernard is a fine start and should see 15-18 touches as long as the game remains close. Weighing in Bernard’s favor is the visual of running back D’Andre Swift dicing the Football Team’s defense for 149 total yards in Week 10.

Washington

J.D. McKissic, RB, $5,200

Smith checking down incessantly to McKissic was something most people predicted once the veteran QB returned to the lineup. However, 29 targets in just two weeks has to be beyond everyone’s expectations. The Bengals have allowed just 30 catches to RBs all season long, but that probably won’t stop Smith from dumping the ball off to McKissic seemingly at will. He is still pretty affordable for a back who has scored 17 DraftKings points in each of the past two weeks.

Terry McLaurin, WR, $6,900

Any trepidation that Smith’s pop-gun arm would cause McLaurin’s stats to dip should be washed away now. It’s clear that Washington will continue to scheme to get the ball to its best receiver, and Smith peppered him against the Lions. That plan of attack should continue against the Bengals, who have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points per game to WRs, including 13 receiving scores.