Bengals: Why doesn’t Tyler Boyd get the recognition he deserves?

Tyler Boyd is entering year six after recording 1,000+ yard seasons in two out of his last three seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. He has implemented himself as one of the most consistent receivers the Bengals have and one of the best wideouts in the slot. However, the praise and focus always seem to shift in a different direction. Why?

Tee Higgins is excellent; the acquisition of Ja’Marr Chase through the draft is terrific, but why aren’t more people talking about the steps and growth Boyd could take heading into year six still being only 27 years old? He is one of the most durable receivers the Cincinnati Bengals have had since he got drafted in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Pittsburgh.

Through five seasons in the NFL, Tyler Boyd has 321 receptions, 3,743 yards, averages 11.7 yards per catch, and has secured 19 touchdowns. Considering he’s had to play behind A.J Green early in his career and all the constant quarterback changes the Bengals have had from injury or poor performance, these numbers are excellent for a slot receiver.

Referring back to the durability point, Boyd has appeared in 71 games out of the 80 he has played in his career so far. He also has been the go-to receiver on 3rd down over the past three seasons, and it is not even close how clutch he has been for the Bengals offense when it matters most.

Bengals WR Tyler Boyd deserves respect

In 2019, Tyler Boyd finished seventh across the entire NFL in targets and eighth in receptions. Bengals only managed to win one game that season and Boyd had a struggling Andy Dalton throwing to him and Jeff Driskel. To finish in the top 10 in those categories speaks volumes to the consistency Boyd plays with, as most receivers tend to struggle once their primary quarterback is out of the game.

Boyd may not be the flashiest receiver, but he gets the job done and deserves more recognition than he receives. He is debatably the best and most reliable receiver on the Cincinnati depth chart.

With Higgins and Chase alongside him, you may see his targets decrease, but his productivity could increase due to the wide spacings the offense will have with two other intimidating threats on the field with him. He also has shown multiple times through the first 11 games last season to have an instant connection with Joe Burrow that will only grow the more snaps they play together.

A lot of it could be because of the lack of success the Bengals have had so far in his career, but besides that point, do not let the popularity of Higgins, Chase, and Mixon fool you; they are great players and will have wonderful careers but don’t let that take away from the recognition and love that Tyler Boyd truly deserves as a player. He is only going up and improving so don’t be caught sleeping on number 83 this season.