Cincinnati Bengals vs Oakland Raiders
This was a pretty one-sided game despite the score, as Oakland dominated the time of possession 35:22 to 24:38, but the Raiders were unable to ever pull away. The Bengals offense looked mostly terrible in this game aside from one drive that was propelled forward by a long Joe Mixon run. The Raiders were more effective at moving the ball, but had their struggles caused by untimely penalties and sacks that stalled out their drives. Overall this was a slow game that did not feature much offense, and the best player for both teams was their starting running backs who both saw a significant workload.
Cincinnati Bengals
Quarterback
- Ryan Finley: 13/31, 115 yards, 1 INT | 3 carries, 47 yards
Ryan Finley looked really out of his league today, struggling to complete passes and showing very limited pocket awareness. He seemed unable to do anything more difficult than a check-down and his only real positive contribution came with his legs. With the Bengals still searching for their first win, it makes sense to play for next year, and starting Finley seems like it will help secure a high draft position. He’s working with a limited group of receivers and behind a bad offensive line, so it’s too early to say that he’ll never be a starting quarterback in his career, but at this point, it seems that the only team that should consider starting Finley is one trying to lose every game.
Running Backs
- Joe Mixon: 15 carries, 86 yards, 1 TD | 3 targets, 1 reception, 17 yards
- Giovani Bernard: 3 carries, 30 yards | 3 targets, 1 reception, 16 yards
Joe Mixon had an awesome touchdown run where he took a carry to the right before running into the entire defense and then reversing field to go back to the left for a touchdown. He looked good, including a 30-yard run that kick-started the best drive of the game for the Bengals, especially considering the lack of success the rest of the offense had. His ceiling is limited by the low-scoring nature of this offense, but the volume he’s gotten since Ryan Finley took over the starting quarterback job has been great. That volume should be secure thanks to the aforementioned struggles of Finley and the Bengal’s reliance on Mixon as their best offensive player. It would be nice to see him get some more involvement in the passing game, but Mixon should be viewed as at least an RB2.
Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends
- Auden Tate: 6 targets, 4 receptions, 56 yards
- Tyler Boyd: 3 targets, 1 reception, 0 yards | 1 carry, 10 yards
- Alex Erickson: 5 targets, 1 reception, 0 yards
- Tyler Eifert: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 21 yards
- C.J. Uzomah: 5 targets, 2 receptions, 5 yards
Auden Tate was the only receiver having a nice game, but unfortunately, he was carted off the field in the fourth quarter after taking a hit to the head and neck area. He was able to give a thumbs-up and tried to get up before the medical team kept him lying down, but it’s unclear how serious his injury is. Tyler Boyd and Alex Erickson were non-factors today, and it seems clear that the move to Ryan Finley represents a serious downgrade to the entire passing attack of the Bengals. We know the talent is there with Boyd so it’s tough to drop him, but it’s also difficult to start him with any confidence in this offense. Finley seems to favor his tight ends, so if you’re desperate Tyler Eifert and C.J. Uzomah could be worth considering for a bye-week fill in.
Oakland Raiders
Quarterback
- Derek Carr: 25/29, 292 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT | 5 carries, 1 yard, 1 TD
Derek Carr was very efficient today in a matchup against a weak Bengals defense. Aside from his interception, which was a really bad throw into coverage over the middle of the field, Carr was effective and came just short of the 300-yard mark. His touchdown run was incredible, as he appeared to be destined for a sack before he avoided pressure in the pocket to scramble left and jump into the end zone. Carr does not have a high ceiling, as the Raiders prefer to run the ball when they find themselves in favorable matchups, but he is a solid option if you need someone to fill in for a week in one-quarterback leagues.
Running Backs
- Josh Jacobs: 22 carries, 112 yards | 3 targets, 3 receptions, 12 yards
- DeAndre Washington: 2 carries, -1 yard | 2 targets, 2 receptions, 14 yards
- Jalen Richard: 2 carries, 0 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, 7 yards
Josh Jacobs had a great game, handling 25 total touches and racking up over 100 total yards. He didn’t end up finishing with a touchdown, but after fumbling early in the game it was encouraging to see him shake off the turnover and have a strong game. The Raiders offensive line did a good job of creating running lanes, and Jacobs did a good job of finding those lanes and finishing his runs hard. He still is not getting involved enough in the passing game to be one of the top fantasy running backs in the league, but he has cemented himself as a must-start off his volume alone.
Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends
- Tyrell Williams: 4 targets, 4 receptions, 82 yards
- Hunter Renfrow: 6 targets, 4 receptions, 66 yards
- Zay Jones: 3 targets, 3 receptions, 25 yards
- Darren Waller: 7 targets, 5 receptions, 78 yards
- Foster Moreau: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 8 yards, 1 TD
The Raiders passing offense looked solid today, starting with a really solid game from Hunter Renfrow. He made a diving catch for a 27-yard reception that set up the first touchdown of the game for the Raiders and took a short pass for 20 yards showcasing some of his after-the-catch ability. Tyrell Williams only saw four targets, but with three catches over 20 yards, he still had a serviceable fantasy day. It would be nice to see him get more work, but it seems that some of those targets he was seeing earlier in the season have moved toward Renfrow. Darren Waller continues to pace the team in targets and receptions, but backup tight end Foster Moreau snuck in for another touchdown. Moreau was wide open off of a play-action fake near the goal line, but it does seem like he is a part of the game plan near the goal line.
- Dan Adams