If it was not bad enough that Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green went down with a hamstring injury last week, the team also lost running back Giovani Bernard to a torn ACL. There is a possibility that Green could return to the field before the end of the season, but Bernard is clearly done for the rest of the year.
Fantasy football start/sit advice, Week 12: Rex Burkhead has some big shoes to fill
Cincinnati will need their backup running back to step up his play after losing a top back for the rest of the year. We explore the fantasy implications.
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That leaves the Bengals with Jeremy Hill and Rex Burkhead as the top two running backs on the team’s current depth chart. Hill will likely see an increase in his touches, and Burkhead is expected to take over the role of Cincinnati’s No. 2 back.
Fantasy Impact: How the Bengals’ backfield will look without Bernard has yet to be determined. For now, Burkhead will likely be the team’s running back during passing situations. But does he have the talent to produce at a high level?
In his fourth NFL season with Cincinnati, Burkhead has not done much in terms of offensive production. He has not even managed to gain more than 250 total yards during the entirety of his career.
For fantasy owners who are interested in adding Burkhead to their roster, go ahead and do that because he still seems to have a chance to produce on offense within the next few games. But by no means should any fantasy owners consider starting the Bengals’ running back until he gives them a legitimate reason to do so.
