Running back named as Bengals' biggest fantasy football value pick

When it comes to fantasy football, new Cincinnati Bengals running back Zack Moss is a player to keep an eye on. The Bengals brought Moss in on a two-year deal after trading incumbent starting back Joe Mixon to the Houston Texans earlier this offseason, and Moss is expected to shoulder a big load for the Bengals in 2024.

As a result, Moss was recently listed as Cincinnati's biggest fantasy value pick in 2024 by Bleacher Report. The outlet thinks that Moss should have plenty of opportunity to put up big numbers with the Bengals, especially if he can become a consistent target of quarterback Joe Burrow in the passing game.

From Bleacher Report:

"Moss played well in Jonathan Taylor's stead last year in Indianapolis, flirting with 1,000 yards from scrimmage and recording a pair of starts in which the 26-year-old posted more than 120 yards on the ground. Moss also set a career best in receptions last season. If he can get a significant share of the passing-down work in Cincinnati, he could be an inexpensive source of RB2 numbers."

As the projected starter in Cincinnati, Moss should indeed have an opportunity to tally some big numbers and establish himself as an upper echelon fantasy option at the running back position.

Splitting the work

The biggest potential roadblock to Moss having a huge year in fantasy is the emergence of second-year back Chase Brown. Brown averaged 4.1 yards per carry in 2023, which is a respectable number, especially for a first-year player. Plus, he was showed an ability to be effective as a receiver. Brown caught 14 passes (out of 15 targets) for 156 yards and a touchdown as a rookie. That's an average of over 11 yards per reception -- or a first down and change every time he caught the ball.

The Bengals plan to utilize a timeshare approach to the running back position next season, and how much of that time gets allocated to Brown will go a long way towards determining just how effective Moss will be as a fantasy back. If Brown is used as a consistent pass-catcher out of the backfield, that could take away on-field opportunity from Moss. Regardless, Moss is a player who could be worth taking a look at in any upcoming fantasy drafts.