10 Bold Predictions for the Bengals’ Season in 2020

Tyler Boyd will be top 10 in receiving yards

With a rookie quarterback in Joe Burrow, the Bengals looked to give the Heisman Trophy winner an elite group of receivers to pass to. They used the franchise tag on A.J. Green and drafted Clemson receiver Tee Higgins in the second round of the draft. Combining these two with Tyler Boyd, John Ross, and Auden Tate makes for one of the most dangerous receiver rooms in the league. Besides Burrow, this will have the biggest positive impact on fifth-year receiver Tyler Boyd.

Boyd has been the only of Cincinnati’s big-time receivers to get consistent playing time over the past two years. Due to injuries from Green, Ross, and Tate, the passing game has fallen onto Boyd’s shoulder. This has led to the former Pittsburgh receiver to face extra coverage from defenses. Despite being honed in on by opposing defenses, Boyd has put up two straight 1,000 yard seasons. With more receivers to draw coverage away from him in 2020, his numbers should skyrocket.

While many would expect the return of Green and Ross and the addition of Higgins to take away from Boyd’s numbers, the opposite is more likely to be true. With so many more options for defenses to worry about, Boyd will no longer face as many double teams as he used to, giving him prime opportunity to dominate from the slot and have the best numbers of his career.

During his Heisman and National Championship campaign at LSU, Burrow had an elite connection with slot receiver Justin Jefferson. In Cincinnati, Boyd can fill that role perfectly for the rookie quarterback. Anticipate a special connection between Burrow and Boyd that could strike fear into the heart of defensive coordinators for years to come. If that shows in Burrow’s rookie year, Boyd could very well have a 1,200-yard season and find himself in the league’s top ten receiving yard leaders.