StripeHype
FanSided

Bengals Roster: 5 sleepers who can make a difference in 2022

By Cole Sullivan

CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 09: Chris Evans #25 of the Cincinnati Bengals catches the ball for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on January 09, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 09: Chris Evans #25 of the Cincinnati Bengals catches the ball for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on January 09, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 5
Next
Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals halfback Chris Evans -Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Chris Evans

Chris Evans could play a vital and under-the-radar role for the Bengals’ special teams and the offense. Evans is the third running back on the depth chart, but he could easily see split snaps with Samaje Perine as the RB2.

Evans was also very effective as the kick returner last year when Brandon Wilson went down with a season-ending injury. Wilson could return to that role, but Evans will still be a piece the Bengals use in many different sets.

Evans is an excellent pass catcher and can be placed in the slot and catch passes out of the backfield, making him extremely useful in many different aspects. He should see a decent amount of time during the preseason as the lead back with the expectation that Joe Mixon doesn’t play that much, if at all.

Evans slowly progressed last season and saw a higher usage rate as the season developed. As a result, the Michigan product expects a more complex workload this season. Fans would like to see him in the RB2 role over Perine but Zac Taylor loves giving Perine the ball in big moments. Hopefully, Evans doesn’t get shelved again this year.