Bengals: 3 players trending up, 3 players trending down after Week 2
Trending Up: Trey Hendrickson
There was a lot of buzz this offseason about why the Bengals felt the need to pay Trey Hendrickson a hefty contract when they could have gotten Carl Lawson for less. Lawson was a proven pass-rusher in Cincinnati but the team let him walk and spent more money on Hendrickson despite him having just one breakout season in four years with the Saints.
We might only be two games into the season, but Hendrickson has looked worthy of the big contract he received in the offseason. This game in particular showed how much of an impact Hendrickson can have on this roster, totaling three tackles, three QB hits, and 1.5 sacks.
The Bengals have been missing a premier pass-rush in recent years and Hendrickson gives them just that. His stock is on the rise after a top-notch performance vs. Chicago.
Trending Down: Running Backs Not Named Joe Mixon
We all knew that Joe Mixon would be the predominant running back for Cincinnati this year but he was the only one to get any carries during the game. Mixon took all 20 handoffs and finished the game with 69 yards and averaging 3.5 yards per carry.
Chris Evans and Samaje Perine were in on the action in the receiving game with Evans catching one pass for 14 yards and Perine getting one target but not pulling it in. These two not being used in the run game is a bit surprising and hopefully Cincinnati figures out a way to get them involved in the running game more.
Must Read. Winners and Losers from Week 2 Loss. light
Some other names to consider including on trending up were Logan Wilson and Ja’Marr Chase. Wilson had nearly a perfect game but failed to land on a fumble that could have swung the momentum entirely in Cincy’s favor. Chase had some drops, which is ultimately what kept him off the list, but he had a big touchdown in the fourth quarter that helped keep the game closer.