There is a huge AFC North showdown going down on Thursday Night Football in a couple of days as the Cincinnati Bengals travel to take on the Baltimore Ravens. This is bound to be a high-scoring game that will have massive fantasy football implications in this week 11 matchup. Who should you start and sit from the contest?
Last week's matchup on Thursday Night Football featured two lethargic teams in the Carolina Panthers and the Chicago Bears where there was a lack of fantasy football impact. Of course, unless you were desperate and had someone on either of those teams like Tyson Bagent or Bryce Young.
While those quarterbacks are still rookies, there should be plenty of offense to go around as players like Bengals signal-caller Joe Burrow and Ravens dynamic playmaker Lamar Jackson are at the forefront. This has the opportunity to be a game of the week filled with explosives.
For fantasy football owners, that should be great news. Here are the players to start and sit in this Bengals-Ravens matchup:
Bengals-Ravens Start 'em
Bengals QB Joe Burrow
There should be no doubt in your mind that if you have Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow on your team, he's the go-to fantasy football starter. Besides the putrid start to the season, anybody in their right mind knew that Burrow would recover and once again be one of the best players at his position.
Burrow and the Bengals have recovered nicely and in the fantasy football sense, he's looked like his old-self. In four out of the last five games, he's reached around 20 or more fantasy points per game according to ESPN. Even without Tee Higgins, Burrow is going to slice through the Ravens defense as he's done before while feeding the ball to his top receiver in Ja'Marr Chase.
After the brutal loss to the Houston Texans last weekend, Burrow is hungry to get the Bengals back in playoff contention and to break some ground in the division.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson
It's been mostly a great season for Jackson as he's the No. 4 ranked quarterback in fantasy football, but he's scored around 11 points in the last three games. Expect the University of Louisville alum to have a bounce-back game at home as just like Burrow, the Ravens lost in close fashion to the Cleveland Browns.
In offensive coordinator Todd Monken's offense, Jackson is going to have a big day throwing the ball as well as in the ground game. This could easily be a 30 or more fantasy points type of game as the Bengals defense isn't a unit to write home about. Don't think twice about Jackson if you were.
Bengals WR Tyler Boyd
Wide receiver Tyler Boyd has always been an underrated pass-catcher in this Bengals offense, but the fantasy football value has always wavered. However, he is a sure bet to do some damage Thursday Night with the aforementioned Tee Higgins sidelined.
Higgins missed the game against the Texans last weekend and Boyd took the opportunities to full advantage. Burrow threw the ball to Boyd's way 12 times and reeled in eight catches for 117 yards. Expect more of the same tomorrow night, which should prompt Boyd being inserted into fantasy football starting lineups. If you're facing against someone that has him, it already might be over for you.
Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell
This is probably more of a deeper league option than anything, but everybody knows how jumbled the Ravens backfield has been. However, Mitchell has shown to be the most explosive running back in the unit filled with Gus Edwards and Justice Hill.
Mitchell had a great week 9 where he rushed for 138 yards on nine carries and a touchdown. His usage was down the week after against the Browns, but still rushed for a touchdown to go along with three carries for 34 yards.
For a high-ceiling play, expect Mitchell to be involved somewhat in this Ravens offense, especially if they start to establish the run earlier than expected. Don't take it from us, this is what Ravens head coach John Harbaugh had to say about the gameplan for Mitchell this Thursday according to NBC Sports.
“As you look back on it, [it’s] part of the process of getting a young guy in there and working him into the gameplan as part of the process as we go,” Harbaugh said. “I don’t think we felt probably as an offensive coaching staff we were going to throw the whole gameplan on him. Those are the plays that get called from the groupings that were called in the second half. Looking back on it, would we have wanted him out there more? Yes. I think that’ll factor into this gameplan.”
Bengals-Ravens Sit 'em
Ravens WR Odell Beckham Jr.
People have been guilty of wanting to play Odell Beckham Jr. in the hopes he can shine like how he did with the New York Giants. However, it might be time to close the curtain on that. People could be tempted with the past two weeks as he scored more than 11 points in both games and recorded touchdowns, but don't let it fool you.
If there are Ravens wide receivers to start, it's Zay Flowers and maybe Rashod Bateman. Look at last week, Beckham had an impressive touchdown, but it was his only catch of the game on two targets. I would steer clear.
Ravens D/ST
You should've seen this choice coming. The Bengals are about to put up an offensive showcase and the Ravens defense won't have any means to stop them. The only advantage the Ravens is the home crowd will be on their side, but when you face a hungry Bengals offense, it's inevitabke that a lot of points will be scored.
It goes beyond how Burrow and the rest of the passing attack will do as this is a game where running back Joe Mixon will have his best performance of the season. Mixon has failed to rush for more than 87 yards this season, but he'll do it against the Ravens who are towards the bottom in rushing defense.
Bengals D/ST
Seeing a pattern? It's best to avoid any defenses in this Thursday Night Football matchup. While Burrow and the Bengals will have fun, Jackson and the Ravens are bound to join the party.
Especially with a home crowd in a prime-time matchup, a show will be put on. Expect Jackson to facilitate to the ball to the likes of Zay Flowers and his favorite target in tight end Mark Andrews. As mentioned before, the run game besides Jackson should have an impressive game as Justice Hill, Gus Edwards, and Keaton Mitchell will each contribute to Harbaugh's liking.
While this is a fantasy football topic, whatever the over/under is with this game, take the over. For fantasy football, any skill-position player besides Beckham should be considered.
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