The inconsistency of Andy Dalton seems to have carried over from the Cincinnati Bengals' bye week. Dalton finished with 14 completions for 190 yards, one touchdown and an interception in Sunday's win over the San Diego Chargers.
Andy Dalton falls short for fantasy owners in Week 13
Andy Dalton threw for 190 yards, one touchdown and an interception on Sunday. We take a look at the fantasy implications.
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Dalton’s first half was awful. The play-calling leaned heavily on the run game, and Dalton couldn’t get into a rhythm with his receivers when he needed to move the ball downfield. Dalton’s interception was an awkward lob that fell extremely short of his intended receiver.
CIncinnati's first offensive touchdown was by running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis, which only further exposed Dalton's rocky start.
Dalton finished strong in the second half. He connected with A.J. Green for a 21-yard touchdown. His pass to Andrew Hawkins, which resulted in a 50-yard gain, was the definition of threading the needle as a quarterback. However, the game was a summary of what Dalton has been all season: a roller coaster.
Fantasy impact: Dalton was October's AFC Offensive Player of the Month, but the string of performances that earned him the award seems like ages ago at this point. Dalton continues to be a fantasy gamble each and every week. He is best utilized as a band-aid in fantasy football. There's simply no telling when he'll have a great game, and Sunday's performance further proves that. He'll face the Indianapolis Colts in Week 14, followed by a very tempting matchup against Minnesota Vikings in Week 15. Regardless, if you're stashing Dalton this season, you're stashing a QB2 in case of an emergency.
