As we race toward August, Footballguys.com will look at one team per day with our extremely in-depth Team Reports and our quick-hitting Team Mood and Players We're In and Out On, where we check out the overall mood of each team's offense and let you know the players we are in on (because they are great values at the cost it takes to acquire them) and who we're out on (because they are too expensive and won't have a good return on that investment).
Here are all of the Team Mood and Players We're In and Out On articles:
Arizona | Atlanta | Baltimore | Buffalo | Carolina | Chicago | Cincinnati | Cleveland | Dallas | Denver | Detroit | Green Bay | Houston | Indianapolis | Jacksonville | Kansas City | Las Vegas | LA Chargers | LA Rams | Miami | Minnesota | New England | New Orleans | NY Giants | NY Jets | Philadelphia | Pittsburgh | San Francisco | Seattle | Tampa Bay | Tennessee | Washington
Quick Hits
Want a brief overview? Here it is:
- Mood - Good
- We're In On at Cost - WR Tee Higgins
- We're Out On at Cost - QB Joe Burrow
Want a longer breakdown of how it's going in Cincinnati? Read on.
Cincinnati, Team Mood
- Good - 10
- Neutral - 0
- Bad - 0
Staffers in a Good Mood
- Jason Wood: Coming off a Super Bowl appearance with all the key pieces returning and the front office significantly upgraded the offensive line during free agency.
- Jordan McNamara: Defending AFC championship, but due for regression.
- Chad Parsons: Running back all of the key skill position pieces. The biggest variable is future-minded when Joe Burrow's contract is due.
- Andy Hicks: Everything clicked on the run to a Super Bowl appearance. This offense is young and ambitious.
- Ben Cummins: Joe Burrow is an elite quarterback who has already taken his team to the Super Bowl in his only healthy NFL season.
- Sam Wagman: Super Bowl losers, but they got a WHOLE lot better on the offensive line and bring back just about everyone else.
- Will Grant: They surprised a lot of teams, are not afraid of anyone, and are in a great position to even improve on last year's performance.
- Justin Howe: Even with some natural regression. They're as deep and dynamic as just about anyone.
- Ryan Weisse: Great pieces at every fantasy position and an improved offensive line. It is going to be a big year for the Bengals.
- Christian Williams: Another year of stability within the offense should only be good for everyone.
Staffers in a Neutral Mood
- None
Staffers in a Bad Mood
- None
Players We're In On at Cost
- Tee Higgins - 5
- Tyler Boyd - 2
- Everyone - 2
- JaMarr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd - 1
- Chris Evans - 1
Reasons to be In on Tee Higgins
- Jason Wood: While Chase is understandably coveted, Higgins may be the league's best No. 2 receiver and a legitimate alpha in his own right.
- Jordan McNamara: Chase and Joe Burrow are valued sky high. If you believe in the offense, take a discount on the passing game and select Higgins.
- Chad Parsons: Chase is a glaring regression profile, and Higgins has a top wide receiver mold, even if viewed by many as the second wide receiver on his team.
- Sam Wagman: Chase is the 1A, but Higgins is an alpha in his own right and can put up huge numbers right alongside Chase.
- Will Grant: Chase will be a 1st round pick this year, but Higgens will be worth a 2nd rounder. Defenses will scheme against Chase more this year, and Higgins will benefit.
Reasons to be In on Tyler Boyd
- Andy Hicks: Boyd may be the third-ranked receiver here, but he has something the others don’t -- value. He ranked last year around 30th. Outperforming his ADP is a near certainty.
- Justin Howe: Boyd, a boring slot guy whose ADP continues to spiral, makes for a very cheap way to buy into this offense.
Reasons to be In on Everyone
- Ryan Weisse: It's a boring answer, but this could be the best offense in the NFL next season, and everyone is priced appropriately.
- Christian Williams: Mixon and Burrow present the best value, but no one carries a bad value.
Reasons to be In on JaMarr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd
- Ben Cummins: Joe Burrow is elite and can support all three.
Reasons to be In on Chris Evans
- Ben Cummins: Evans is an awesome late-round best ball selection due to his dual-threat skillset.
Players We're Out On at Cost
- Joe Burrow - 3
- Hayden Hurst - 2
- No One - 2
- Joe Mixon - 1
- Tee Higgins - 1
- Tyler Boyd - 1
- JaMarr Chase - 1
Reasons to be Out on Joe Burrow
- Jason Wood: He's not a bust by any means but limited rushing upside and lower volume of passing targets cap his upside versus comparable draft options.
- Jordan McNamara: Burrow lived on high variance and low volume in 2021 and is due for regression.
- Clayton Gray: Burrow is an amazing quarterback, but if the offensive line run blocks better and the defense stops some folks, there won't be as much need to pass.
Reasons to be Out on Hayden Hurst
- Ben Cummins: I very rarely draft Hurst. He’s not a priority for me.
- Sam Wagman: He hasn’t shown us enough as a receiving threat.
Reasons to be Out on No One
- Ryan Weisse: Even their kicker is my favorite in fantasy this year.
- Christian Williams: Everyone is adequately priced for their role within the offense. Even backup running back Chris Evans has value.
Reasons to be Out on Joe Mixon
- Chad Parsons: With Mixon, think floor, not ceiling. The Bengals have been one of the weakest teams in the NFL regarding running back targets and goal line carries in recent seasons. Mixon had the perfect storm in 2021 between health and touchdowns.
Reasons to be Out on Tee Higgins
- Andy Hicks: The offense is good enough to have two elite receivers, but Higgins is valued at his ceiling. Everything needs to go right.
Reasons to be Out on Tyler Boyd
- Will Grant: Has solid talent but feels like the odd man out of this offense. He will have a few good games but lack consistency.
Reasons to be Out on JaMarr Chase
- Justin Howe: Chase is a fine first-round pick and oozes upside, but his usage and volume will need to stabilize to return that value.