Are any Bengals fantasy playable in wake of Joe Burrow injury?

The Cincinnati Bengals’ fantasy viability takes a hit with Joe Burrow’s torn ACL.

When Joe Burrow went down with his knee injury vs. the Washington Football Team on Sunday, everyone’s heart sunk. Burrow was the No. 1 overall pick by the Cincinnati Bengals and was playing so well in his rookie season. While the team was not any good, we saw signs of promise for a brighter tomorrow in the Queen City with him under center. Now he is out for the year.

The Fantasy Footballers are just as crushed as we are. Yes, the Bengals essentially rag dolled the No. 1 overall pick behind a wet paper bag of an offensive line, but Burrow had that quintessential it factor that will make him a star in this league. While players bounce back from torn ACLs all the time these days, can you realistically start any Bengals player in fantasy the rest of the season?

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Players like Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins were must-starts prior to Burrow being knocked out for the year. Now, we are not so sure with second-year pro Ryan Finley serving as the Bengals’ starting quarterback for the final six weeks of the 2020 NFL season. And with Joe Mixon going on injured reserve, the soonest he can be back will be Week 14, assuming he even comes back.

Now is the time to sell on any Bengals players in fantasy

With the fantasy season winding down, every single game left to be played is precious. We are only two weeks away from the playoffs. While Mixon could return and could be a boost to your fantasy lineup, it is hard to argue for any player on the Bengals roster to be worth starting in fantasy. Are guys like Boyd and Higgins worth streaming now? Sure, but they are not must-starts.

You will have to look for other fantasy options at this point to make up for the fact the Bengals will almost certainly go in the tank without Burrow the rest of the way. Though they will not end up with another No. 1 pick again, they are slated to be one of the four worst teams in the AFC this season, absolutely picking inside of the top-10 yet again. However, they could be worth watching.

What people tend to forget is when teams are so far gone out of it like the Bengals are about to be, lesser known players on their rosters may begin to showcase their skills and fantasy viability. In short, you have a great opportunity to scout Bengals players who will fly under the radar the rest of the way. Perhaps one of those guys could be key to helping you win your league next year?