The 2022 NFL season may be young, but the Cincinnati Bengals are the early favorite for most disappointing team. After a last-second overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1, the Bengals lost another heartbreaker at the last second against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2. Sitting at 0-2, Cincinnati needs to turn it around quickly in order to get back to the playoffs.
The big storyline this season is how many sacks Joe Burrow is taking yet again. The Bengals overhauled their offensive line in the offseason, signing La'el Collins and Alex Cappa in free agency. Despite that, Cincinnati has allowed a league-high 13 sacks through two games after allowing 55 last season.
Sunday's road game against the New York Jets is a do-or-die game for the Bengals. The Jets are riding high after a comeback win against the Cleveland Browns in Week 2 and will be looking to pull off another upset. If the Bengals win, they're right back in the AFC North race. If they lose, though, an 0-3 hole will be extremely tough to overcome.
With the rough start to the season, many Bengals players have yet to shine in fantasy football this season. However, that doesn't mean fantasy players should write these players off so fast. One wide receiver in particular is a big sleeper this week, and it may not be the obvious one.
Bengals WR Tyler Boyd
So far this season, Boyd has struggled to get going. Through two games, he has just six catches on nine targets for 50 yards and a touchdown. Granted, the Steelers and Cowboys have pretty strong defenses, but Boyd's lack of production has still been disappointing.
Boyd's start to the season has been especially disappointing considering the season he just had. In 2021, the Pittsburgh alum caught 67 passes for 828 yards and five touchdowns. Boyd may be Cincinnati's third wideout behind Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, but he has proven he can provide more than what he has.
Fortunately for Boyd, a different wideout has stepped up for the Bengals each week this season. In Week 1, Chase led the team with 10 catches for 129 yards and a score. In Week 2, Higgins led the team with six catches for 71 and a score. If the pattern continues, then Boyd, the third member of the big three, should lead the team in Week 3.
For something a little more concrete, Boyd has a solid track record against the Jets. In last season's game on Halloween, Boyd had five catches for 69 yards and a touchdown in Cincinnati's 34-31 loss. On Dec. 1 2019, Boyd had five catches for 59 yards and a touchdown to help the Bengals earn a 22-6 win over the Jets, their first win of the season.
Those numbers are good for nearly 20 points per game in PPR leagues. If he can put up similar numbers against the Jets again, he will be a great option for the flex, or even as a WR2.
Despite that, fantasy football owners don't seem to be too high on Boyd. He is only rostered in 62.9% of leagues on ESPN Fantasy, down from last week. ESPN also projects Boyd to score seven fantasy points in Week 3, well outside the top 50 wide receivers.
Considering his past performances against the Jets and the fact that he's due for a big game, Boyd is a huge sleeper in week 3. Any fantasy player should consider picking him up if he's available.
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