3 Bengals Vs Lions Week 5 Fantasy Takeaways

Despite how bad the Bengals’ defense has been this season, Demetrius Knight Jr stands out as one of the lone positives. Against the Lions, he racked up four solo tackles and four assisted tackles with one tackle for a loss.

Through his first five games in the NFL, Knight has posted 23 solo tackles, 16 assisted tackles, and one interception. For fantasy IDP purposes, he’s turning into one of the more consistent linebackers available. 

Knight has two games in which he scored in the single digits (in most IDP scoring systems), and two in which he scored more than 20. He seems poised to be a big part of this struggling Cincinnati defense, and could be a reliable source of points for your struggling team. 

Bengals’ Offense Can Still Distribute

Jake Browning has been seriously struggling this season, but he proved against Detroit that this offense can still move the ball. Throwing for 251 yards and three touchdowns, he threw to seven different players throughout the game. 

Chase Brown had the most receptions with seven, then Ja’Marr Chase with six, Andrei Iosivas with five, Tee Higgins with three, Mike Gesicki and Samaje Perine with two, and Drew Sample with one. What this shows is that the Bengals are still capable not only of moving the ball downfield but doing so with a healthy diet of different receivers. 

Regarding fantasy, this means that Brown, Higgins, and Iosivas (in deeper formats) are still alive as options. Brown, even if struggling to move the ball on the ground (eight rushes for 27 yards this game), is still able to get points through the air. 

This is also good for Gesicki and Noah Fant, as both saw targets early but neither has broken out in fantasy. Plus, with a new QB in town, the offense could click into gear a little more. 

New Bengals QB Incoming: Joe Flacco

Although Browning distributed well, he still threw three interceptions, which matched his TD total for the day. This season, he’s scored six touchdowns and thrown eight picks.

Due to Browning’s poor performances, Cincinnati has just acquired Joe Flacco from the Cleveland Browns for a fifth-round pick. This season for Cleveland, he threw for 815 yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions. 

Flacco’s stats aren’t great, but with how Browning has been playing, any change could prove beneficial. It’s not necessarily his talent that landed him with the Bengals, though, as he has experience Browning can’t match.

Winning the Super Bowl in 2013 with the Baltimore Ravens, walking away with the game’s MVP honors, and the Comeback Player of the Year award in 2023, Flacco is a bona fide veteran. With how this Cincinnati offense has been struggling, a voice like his in the huddle could inject both life and discipline into a roster that desperately needs both. 

It’s far from a guarantee, but it’s a more promising option than continuing to start Browning, as Flacco’s career was mostly spent in the AFC North. It doesn’t mean that Flacco is a viable starter for fantasy (yet), but it does mean that the Bengals offense could see an uptick in production and points in the very near future. 

End Of My Cincinnati Bengals Rant 

The Bengals lost another game, but this performance was more promising for fantasy managers. The offense moved the ball better than it has in weeks, and the incoming quarterback change could amplify that even more going forward.

Knight also proved he’s a great option for IDP leagues, as he’s been consistent and has had multiple high-scoring games. This year has been horrendous for Cincinnati on the field, but there are still salvageable aspects for fantasy managers. 

Tune in next week for the three biggest takeaways from the Bengals-Packers Week Five matchup.