Cincinnati Bengals: Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em for Week 6 vs. Lions

Sit ‘Em – Joe Mixon

My temptation here was to go another direction, but it would be remiss of me not to mention Joe Mixon as a sit candidate.

Considering Mixon likely has decent draft capital attached to him in many leagues, if you HAVE to start him that’s fine. I wouldn’t be shocked if he turned in a performance similar to the Green Bay game. 10-12 touches and maybe a short touchdown isn’t the worst Sunday, but if you have a backup, by all means, consider putting Mixon on the bench for the week.

Mixon didn’t practice on Wednesday or Thursday, and Samaje Perine is currently on the Covid list. This could open the door for Captain America, AKA Michigan rookie Chris Evans. Or Perine could get cleared. Or Mixon could get 20 touches Sunday.

The point being, this backfield is too uncertain to definitively say Mixon is a START, thus the wise move is just to move on and hope next week brings some clarity to the situation. As always, however, pay close attention to Sunday morning.

If Perine is inactive and Mixon is getting good reports from the beat reporters, then feel good about sliding him in as a last-minute start. My feeling is either boom or bust, leaning slightly to bust. Be prepared to be let down if you have to start him.

Prediction: 12 carries, 44 yards

There you go! Thirty-two years experience and a lot of guesswork helping you to identify who to start, and who to sit in Sunday’s titanic matchup with the Detroit Lions. Enjoy the game and above all fantasy outcomes, let’s hope for a win.