Thursday November 5, 2015
Cleveland Browns @ Cincinnati Bengals

All logic would lead you to believe the Bengals are going to completely upend the Browns in this one. The undefeated Bengals are home on a short week facing a backup quarterback on an already bad team. With that said there are a few reasons to believe this one could go in the other direction. Andy Dalton is an absolute nightmare on prime time games. Whether it’s Thursday, Sunday or Monday night, he’s atrocious. Also, Joe Haden really has A.J. Green’s number. He completely takes him out of the game. I still think the Bengals win a close one. Strictly because the defense should dominate Johnny Manziel.

Cleveland Browns: Key Players
QB Johnny Manziel
Josh McCown has been ruled out with a rib injury. Manziel has been announced as the starter. This is a really tough matchup for an already shaky quarterback. He should be considered among the worst Fantasy options at QB this week.
Verdict: Sit Manziel. The Bengals are only allowing 17 Fantasy points per game to opposing QBs this season. On top of that, the Bengals have the athletes on every level of their defense to contain his running.

RB Duke Johnson
Make no mistake, Johnson is now the back to own in Cleveland. He is a dynamic playmaker with as much big play upside as any player in the NFL. He has superstar potential if he can stay healthy and possibly if he can get away from that dysfunctional franchise.
Verdict: Start Johnson. I really like Johnson as a starting option in PPR leagues moving forward. Look for him to have a huge second half of the season.

WR Travis Benjamin
Benjamin is Manziel’s favorite target. He loves improvising and hurling up the deep ball to Benjamin on the fly. The former Miami Hurricane has been a major producer when Manziel is under center. Only Antonio Brown was better in the first two weeks of the season. He’s continued to be productive, but not like that.
Verdict: Sit Benjamin. The Bengals have a very good pass defense. He isn’t a bad flex option, but there are most likely better options.

TE Gary Barnidge
Barnidge has been tremendous this season. He’s a guy I admittedly never believed in. However, as I keep waiting for his run to end, it just doesn’t. At some point, it’s hard to keep denying his production.
Verdict: Start Barnidge. No matter what the matchup or who the quarterback, he has shined. He’s pretty much a must-start at this point. He’s currently the TE2 behind only Gronk.

Cincinnati Bengals: Key Players
QB Andy Dalton
This is a tough one. Dalton has been great this season. Nonetheless, he’s been terrible in these games for years. In 2013, he was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Month in October. He was a borderline MVP candidate heading into a Halloween matchup with the Miami Dolphins. The 6-2 Bengals four-game win streak was snapped as Dalton accounted for four turnovers and no touchdowns and looked awful the entire game. The game was on Thursday Night Football.
Verdict: Sit Dalton. It doesn’t really make logical sense, but it’s one of those weird things. I’m going with my gut with this one. I’ve been burned too many times before by Dalton on prime time to ignore it any longer.

RB Jeremy Hill
I went with Hill over Giovani Bernard because I believe this is the week he takes back over the backfield and once again separates himself as the superior back in Cincy. He’s been bad this year, but that is all about to change.
Verdict: Start Hill. He’s going to have a breakout game on Thursday. Offensive coordinator says “the arrow is pointing up” for him and I agree. He’s been running better and is on the verge of big things. This is the perfect game for that. Great matchup with a simplified offense on a short week.

WR A.J. Green
This is a similar situation to Dalton. Haden just has Green’s number. He always does miserably when these two face off. You would think at some point Green would overcome this but it hasn’t been the case to this point in his career.
Verdict: Start Green. You have to start him but temper expectations. I wouldn’t have it in me to leave him on the bench though.

TE Tyler Eifert
Eifert has been tremendous this season. He missed almost all of last season and has shown this year why so many people were so high on him. Eifert is the fourth-highest scoring TE this season.
Verdict: Start Eifert. He’s a must-start at this point. He really has been spectacular to this point.

Final Score
Cleveland: 13
Cincinnati: 23

Best Play
Browns: Gary Barnidge
Bengals: Jeremy Hill

Sleeper
Marvin Jones

Note: I know, not exactly a sleeper. But he could really have a monster game if Haden takes away Green.