It’s easy to scoff at the notion of a 1-13 team like the Cincinnati Bengals sending any players to the 2020 Pro Bowl.
Fair. But the miserable season doesn’t mean there haven’t been some special individual performances. The Bengals aren’t going to win popular votes regardless, but alternate nods might be on the table.
Some candidates include:
Joe Mixon: Is it too late? Mixon had a terrible start to his year but he’s up to 12th in rushing leaguwide at 925 yards. He’s bumped his average to four yards per carry and scored three times, with the third-most rushing yards in the NFL since Week 9. It’s probably too little, too late, but the strength of his bounceback after leading the AFC in rushing last year shouldn’t go totally unnoticed.
Brandon Wilson: One of the best Bengals breakouts this year, Wilson still leads the NFL in returning average (31.3) despite going to injured reserve on December 7. On 20 attempts, he racked up 625 yards and a score. He hurt his hand making a tackle, but he’s worth a note.
Kevin Huber: Yes, a punter. Huber had downed 26 punts inside the 20-yard line, a top-10 mark this season. His net of 41.5 yards is 12th. In a testament to strong special teams, he’s forced 27 fair catches, leading the NFL, and 19 attempts at returns by opponents have only generated 101 yards on a 5.3 average (fifth).
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