This article is part of our Team Previews series.
Cincinnati Bengals
THE SKINNY
The franchise has yet to win a postseason tilt under coach Marvin Lewis, and the clock may be ticking on his regime. Last year presented the Bengals with their best chance to advance, but they threw it away in the worst possible fashion. The team is still strong, but the onus is on the players to perform.
THREE KEY STORY LINES
RUNNING DOWNHILL
After exploding during the second half of his rookie season with the Bengals, RB Jeremy Hill's expectations for 2015 were sky-high. His draft stock reflected that optimism, as the running back was on average getting drafted in the middle of the second round. However, after a two-touchdown performance in Week 1, Hill's value fell apart. He went back to sharing time with Giovani Bernard, often garnering fewer plays and touches. In the process, Hill averaged just 3.6 yards per carry, down from the 5.1 mark he recorded in 2014. And most worrisome, he started putting the ball on the ground, losing three fumbles in the regular season and another critical fumble when the Bengals could have clinched the game against the Steelers in the playoffs. The Bengals proved last year that they could be an effective passing team, so Hill's value is no longer assured, especially as his work in that department declined. He'll still be the team's go-to guy in the red zone, on the heels of an 11-TD effort last year, so not all is lost here. He remains a better target in standard leagues than PPR formats, in any case.
CAN THE RED ROCKET SOAR AGAIN?
QB Andy Dalton demonstrated in 2015 what he can do when he has a full set of weapons at his disposal, and the Bengals clearly missed him after a fluke thumb injury ended his campaign early. A repeat this coming season might not be as easy for him, however. Wideouts Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu both signed big deals elsewhere, and the Bengals opted not to make a big splash in free agency to replace them. They settled on Brandon LaFell, who struggled with the Patriots last season. On the plus side, Tyler Eifert blossomed in 2015, though injuries remain an issue for the talented tight end. Complicating matters is that former offensive coordinator Hue Jackson is now coaching in Cleveland, with Dalton now slated to work with the fourth offensive coordinator of his relatively young career. The team also faces a tougher first-place schedule after winning the AFC North last year. It's reasonable to expect that Dalton will regress back to a lower YPA and likely fewer passing attempts in new coordinator Ken Zampese's offense.
COPING WITH DISASTER
The Marvin Lewis Era in Cincinnati has been a complicated one. Before his arrival in the Queen City, the Bengals had an epic playoff drought and were the laughingstock of the NFL. It's easy to forget how dreadful the team was before his arrival 13 years ago. The team has made the playoffs five years in a row and six of the last seven years. However, the Bengals have yet to win a playoff game under Lewis, have had numerous off-the-field problems and have lost critical games in the most dubious of fashions. Lewis has the curse of being merely a "very good" head coach, rather than one of the greats that has led his team to the ultimate glory of a Super Bowl title. Even if the Bengals get over the hump of winning one playoff game, will that be enough? After last season's gut-punch playoff loss featuring a series of improbable events at the finish, it's hard to feel too confident. But even in the wake of that disaster, there were mitigating circumstances, most notably the loss of the starting quarterback. This could be Lewis' last hurrah season – but then again, many pundits have been saying that for years.
KEY JOB BATTLE
With the potential absence of Tyler Eifert to begin the campaign, it's imperative that the Bengals identify their No. 2 wide receiver quickly, particularly given their rough schedule to begin the season. They begin the year on the road for their first two games, at the Jets and at the Steelers (on an aside – this is the seventh year in a row that the Bengals begin the year on the road). The leading candidate is veteran Brandon LaFell, who never appeared to fully recover from a foot injury that delayed his 2015 season. Can he hold off second-round pick Tyler Boyd? Early reports suggest that LaFell has picked up the offense already, but there's a chance that his Bengals experience could resemble that of Laveranues Coles in his final year in the NFL in 2009.
PIVOTAL PLAYER
Remember when fans openly pined for the Bengals to give AJ McCarron the starting job over Dalton? Be careful what you wish for – Dalton got hurt in a home loss to Pittsburgh, and the team missed a chance to earn a playoff bye week as a result. Still, the QB had his most efficient season yet in 2015, with 25 TDs, seven picks and 8.4 yards per pass attempt.
BAROMETER
RISING: Tyler Eifert
With Eifert scoring at a TD per game clip, the offense shined in 2015, not just with his production but with the effect it had on the outside receivers. His recovery from offseason ankle surgery bears watching, but once the talented TE is back in business, he'll remain a dangerous weapon in the passing game.
FALLING: Jeremy Hill
Hill is an obvious candidate here. It's clear that the Bengals will employ a dreaded timeshare in their backfield, considering how competent Giovani Bernard is in the offense, especially as a pass-catcher.
SLEEPER: Tyler Kroft
The Bengals might use two tight ends more often, given the uncertainty at wide receiver behind A.J. Green and Brandon LaFell, so Kroft, a 2015 third-rounder, might end up tripling the targets from his rookie season.
THE INJURY FRONT
Tyler Eifert, TE – Eifert sprained his left ankle in the Pro Bowl, and the expectation was that he would recover in time for the start of the season. However, it was announced in late May that Eifert needed a surgical procedure, termed as a "minor" one, but one that will sideline him three months. The first couple of regular season games are thus in jeopardy for Eifert.
Giovani Bernard, RB – When we last saw Bernard, he was leaving the Bengals' playoff loss against the Steelers after a head-to-head hit by LB Ryan Shazier, suffering a concussion. He's fully cleared for the start of training camp, but it's worth watching out for subsequent concussions while we eagerly await a potentially big season.
Andy Dalton, QB – Dalton missed the last three regular season games and the playoff loss to the Steelers with a thumb injury, but he was completely cleared in time for April's voluntary workouts and is at full go for the start of the season.
IDP FOCUS
Carlos Dunlap, DE – Dunlap is coming off of his finest season in the NFL, recording a career-high 13.5 sacks. The Bengals tend to rotate their defensive linemen, but this only bodes well for Dunlap to boost his sack total, if not his total tackles.
George Iloka, S – Reggie Nelson's departure puts the onus on Iloka to become a leader in the secondary. The good news is that he has graded out well both against the run and the pass, so he could be an every-down player, raising the possibility for a big spike in tackles.
Vincent Rey, LB – Nobody's perfect, especially fellow linebacker Vontaze Burfict, who will be suspended for the first three games of the season. In steps Rey, who had 98 tackles last season, many of those coming when Burfict was injured at the start of the season. If you're looking for the Bengals' primary source of tackles while Burfict is out and perhaps even after his return, go with Rey over the overrated Rey Maualuga.
OFFSEASON MOVES
KEY ACQUISITIONS:
Brandon LaFell – WR (from Patriots)
Helps fill void left by departures of Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu.
Tyler Boyd – WR (Rd. 2, No. 55 – Pittsburgh)
Team bets on production as pro trumping lackluster combine results.
WILLIAM JACKSON III – CB (Rd. 1, No. 24 – Houston)
Another first-round corner added to mix, replacing Leon Hall.
KARLOS DANSBY – LB (from Browns)
How much does the 34-year-old linebacker have left in the tank?
KEY LOSSES:
Marvin Jones – WR (to Lions)
Big-play ability will complement the steady play of Golden Tate.
Mohamed Sanu – WR (to Falcons)
Gets to play opposite another big-time receiver in Julio Jones.
Reggie Nelson – S (to Raiders)
Veteran playmaker replaced by Shawn Williams.
WALLACE GILBERRY – DE (to Lions)
Depth on the team's D-line cushions his departure.
