Tag: Zack Moss

Bengals injury updates on Charlie Jones and Zack Moss are good news

Some important injury updates for the Bengals after the first game of the preseason.

The Cincinnati Bengals avoided major injuries during the first preseason game of the summer on Saturday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

But there were a few issues.

For one, promising wideout Charlie Jones couldn’t suit up after suffering an injury earlier in the week that appeared significant. Two, running back Zack Moss was a surprising scratch from the game after appearing fine all week.

After the game, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor provided updates on both — and it was good news on both fronts.

On Jones, Taylor revealed one of his top kick returners avoided a major issue: “He’ll be week-to-week. He banged knees with one of the DBs on that play. He’ll be kind of week-to-week with that.”

And on Moss, the guy who could very well lead the team in carries next season, it simply came down to  non-football stuff: “He (Zack Moss) got sick last night and didn’t feel great today, so it didn’t make sense to get him around the guys.”

Good news for the Bengals who, at a minimum, could use Jones as a lethal returner on special teams and Moss as that combo back with Chase Brown to give the offense some versatility and juice.

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Bengals’ biggest fantasy football value pick is sleeper to watch

This new Bengals arrival from free agency is a sleeper name to watch next season.

The Cincinnati Bengals have plenty of big names to consider in the fantasy football space going into the 2024 season.

Running back Zack Moss, though, doesn’t get mentioned often.

Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport, though, sounds like he thinks Moss should probably get some more love, as he explained while naming Moss Cincinnati’s biggest value:

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.

The fantasy perspective certainly matches real life — Moss is more versatile than Joe Mixon, the guy he replaced this offseason. He could eat up plenty of targets in the passing game while also getting workmanlike numbers as a bell cow.

Granted, Bengals fans know that sophomore Chase Brown could play a big role, too. But it’s a rotation as of now, so Moss being the 27th running back off the board in fantasy drafts does seem low for what should be a nice bit of work in an explosive offense.

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Bengals’ free agency signings make ‘most overlooked additions’ list

The Bengals have two underrated signings worth watching.

The Cincinnati Bengals weren’t the headline act of free agency by any means, yet they received plenty of praise for signings, too.

Two of those — safety Geno Stone and running back Zack Moss — could have a massive impact on the team next year.

That’s the summary of both guys making the top 10 most overlooked additions of the offseason list from Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox.

The blurb on Moss, who looked great in Jonathan Taylor’s place last year, says it all:

Moss’ presence in Cincinnati won’t garner as much early national attention as Henry on the Baltimore Ravens or Barkley on the Philadelphia Eagles. However, Moss could have a major impact on the Bengals’ 2024 campaign, and perhaps the AFC playoff picture as a whole.

Another wrinkle to this — Moss’ skill set won’t get the credit it deserves for setting up sophomore breakout candidate Chase Brown nicely, either.

And when it comes to Stone, coordinator Lou Anarumo has already said the communication issues that hurt the unit last year have already been resolved. Part of that is his learning quickly from Vonn Bell. Most of it is his rangy playstyle that makes him an ideal Jessie Bates replacement (a year late).

If it goes the way the Bengals hope, both guys will remain overlooked in terms of headlines while helping to change the team’s fortunes dramatically.

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Fantasy football: Cincinnati Bengals running back breakdown

What does life after Joe Mixon look like in Cincy?

For most of the last seven seasons, the Cincinnati Bengals‘ rushing attack has gone through running back Joe Mixon, who averaged 1,331 combined yards and 9.7 touchdowns during his six full years on the job — 2020 was omitted since he played just six games. Cincy decided it was time to turn the page during the offseason, however, shipping Mixon off to the Houston Texans for a seventh-round pick.

That move came shortly after the Bengals agreed to a two-year, $8 million contract with free-agent RB Zack Moss, who was immediately penciled into the lead role in Cincinnati’s backfield. Beyond that, the club will be relying on low-usage RBs Chase Brown, Trayveon Williams, and Chris Evans, all of whom were on the roster in 2023.

While Mixon was the bell cow during his time in the Queen City, that doesn’t mean we should expect Moss to simply step into that role. With that in mind, let’s take an early look at how Cincinnati’s running back room will look in the upcoming season.

Zack Moss sounds excited about Bengals backfield with Chase Brown

The Bengals could have a nice one-two punch at RB.

New Cincinnati Bengals running back Zack Moss sounds more than happy to head into a committee approach with second-year riser Chase Brown.

Moss, in fact, has been more than open in confirming that idea despite not knowing exactly what the offense might look like next season.

“I mean, most of my career I’ve pretty much split time with somebody else regardless, and I think that’s kind of where the league is really right now,” Moss said, according to Laurel Pfahler of the Dayton Daily News. “You really only have maybe two or three guys that are predominantly just the backfield by themselves and taking all those carries and hits. I never really worry about or think about it. I mean, I’m looking forward to seeing a guy like Chase be able to do a lot of good things and continue to, you know, build himself throughout this league. And when it’s my turn, I’ll go out there and do the same things, and I think when you got two backs, it makes it a little easier. I mean, I was in Indy with JT (Taylor), so when he came back (from injury), I was excited, just because it made things so much easier and defenses wore down, or whatever, things like that. So like I said, I’m trying to take that experience, bring it here with these guys, and kind of just help from that standpoint.”

Right now, Moss is merely using the early spring voluntary work to get a grasp on the offense and figure out the preferences of one quarterback Joe Burrow.

But the overarching idea that the Bengals will use more of a two-back look than in the past during the Joe Mixon era has plenty of logical backing. Coaches want to go under center more and diversify the offense, so utilizing Moss and Brown’s talents in a variety of formations and ways will help accomplish this.

Even so, Moss could end up pacing the team in carries regardless. Either way, like fans, the new starting running back sounds excited to see how it shakes out.

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2024 Fantasy Football Strength of Schedule: Running Backs

How will the strength of fantasy schedule impact RBs in 2024?

Schedule strength for running backs considers both rushing and receiving yards as today’s players rarely rely on just running production anymore. The analysis also considers the venue. There is a difference between how defenses respond either home or away, which creates 64 “different defensive matchups” depending on where the game is played.

Also see: Quarterbacks |Receivers

The scoring was a point for every 10 yards rushing or receiving, six-point touchdowns, and a point per reception. The average fantasy points allowed to running backs are at the bottom of this page for reference. Running backs prove to be most sensitive to schedule strength of any position.

Total Points

Below are the total points for each backfield according to their schedule using the averages allowed in 2023 by those defenses.

PHI LAR WAS SEA LAC DEN TEN MIA NE MIN TB
368 363 360 360 360 360 353 353 351 350 350
NO CLE BAL NYJ PIT CHI NYG JAC HOU CAR
349 349 348 347 346 345 345 344 342 342
KC BUF DET LV CIN GB ATL IND ARI DAL SF
341 340 339 337 336 335 333 332 328 327 325

 

 

 

Weekly Play

Three different views are below. Week 1 to 17 is the full-season fantasy strength of schedule. “The Dorey Rule” says to draft by considering the first six weeks for a hot start. Finally, Weeks 15 to 17 represent the most common fantasy playoff weeks. “Good” games against a Top-22 venue from last year; “Bad” was when they played in one of the Bottom-22.

Week 1-17 SOS Good Bad First 6 SOS Good Bad Playoffs SOS Good Bad
TEN 4 7 3 CLE 3 3 0 PHI 3 3 0
LAR 3 6 3 NYG 3 4 1 MIN 3 3 0
WAS 2 6 4 SEA 3 4 1 ATL 2 2 0
JAC 2 5 3 TEN 2 3 1 JAC 2 2 0
CLE 2 6 4 CHI 2 3 1 TEN 2 2 0
CHI 2 7 5 HOU 2 3 1 DEN 1 2 1
DEN 1 5 4 MIA 2 3 1 IND 1 1 0
LAC 1 7 6 LV 1 2 1 LAC 1 2 1
NYG 1 7 6 PIT 1 2 1 NE 1 1 0
HOU 1 6 5 LAR 1 2 1 SEA 1 1 0
MIA 1 6 5 JAC 0 1 1 TB 1 2 1
SEA 1 6 5 CAR 0 1 1 GB 1 1 0
PIT 0 5 5 MIN 0 1 1 KC 1 1 0
NE 0 5 5 TB 0 2 2 NO 1 2 1
PHI 0 6 6 DEN 0 2 2 CAR 0 1 1
CAR 0 4 4 KC 0 2 2 HOU 0 1 1
MIN 0 5 5 LAC 0 2 2 CHI 0 1 1
BAL 0 6 6 NE 0 2 2 CIN 0 1 1
BUF 0 5 5 SF 0 2 2 NYG -1 1 2
NYJ 0 6 6 WAS 0 2 2 PIT -1 0 1
DET 0 6 6 BUF -1 0 1 BAL -1 0 1
TB -1 5 6 BAL -1 2 3 BUF -1 1 2
ATL -1 4 5 GB -1 1 2 LAR -1 0 1
IND -1 4 5 DET -1 2 3 LV -1 0 1
GB -1 3 4 CIN -2 1 3 MIA -1 0 1
NO -2 5 7 NO -2 1 3 NYJ -1 0 1
KC -2 4 6 DAL -2 1 3 WAS -1 0 1
CIN -3 4 7 IND -2 1 3 CLE -1 1 2
DAL -3 4 7 PHI -3 0 3 DAL -2 0 2
ARI -3 5 8 ARI -3 1 4 DET -2 0 2
SF -3 5 8 NYJ -3 1 4 ARI -3 0 3
LV -4 3 7 ATL -4 0 4 SF -3 0 3

 

Best schedule strength

Tyjae Spears/Tony Pollard (TEN) – The schedule is less important than installing an entirely different offensive scheme, but it is a factor. Especially when the Titans own the most advantageous set of opponents in the NFL based from last year’s stats, the O-line is still a work in progress, and the passing effort should be more productive than it has for many years. There should be fewer carries than in recent seasons, but either Tyjae Spears or Tony Pollard could surprise – if they can earn the bigger share in this committee approach post-Derrick Henry.

Kyren Williams/Blake Corum (LAR) – Kyren Williams took over in his second season and starting in Week 12, was as good as any fantasy running back in 2023. Now, he enjoys one of the best schedules with just three bad venues and a solid six best venues. It should propel Williams to being an elite back again this year, but the addition of  Blake Corum potentially muddies the waters with a committee approach of some measure. But Williams’ injury history could mean Corum gets at least a few games to himself.

Austin Ekeler/Brian Robinson Jr. (WAS) – This is another situation where the offense will be all new, and the O-line is a concern. There will also be a committee involving Austin Ekeler and Brian Robinson. However, the Commanders benefit from one of the lighter slates of opponents, and the backfield should profit with four of the final five fantasy games being at home. A Week 14 bye won’t help teams in large contests for their playoffs.

Travis Etienne (JAC) – The schedule is better than most, but not hugely advantageous. Facing two good venues and no bad ones during fantasy playoffs is a plus for the player who ended as the No. 3 fantasy running back last year on a team that did not bother to get any new help for the backfield.

Worst schedule strength

Zamir White/Alexander Mattison (LV) – The Raiders are installing a new offense with OC Luke Getsy from Chicago, and they lost Josh Jacobs. The addition of Alexander Mattison to the backfield isn’t encouraging and Zamir White enters his third season with a spotty resume. Throw in an NFL-worst schedule for fantasy backs and the attraction is even less. Starting in Week 6, the Raiders face seven bad venues and only one light matchup.

Christian McCaffrey (SF) – Certainly, if any back is better than his schedule, it would be Christian McCaffrey. There’s no denying how productive he is when healthy and helped many fantasy teams reach their playoffs. The 49ers get three bad venues for the fantasy playoff weeks, but McCaffrey tends to just turn into a receiver when needed.

James Conner/Trey Benson (ARI) – Conner comes off his career-best season, but he turns 30 next year, and the Cardinals snapped up the second overall running back in the NFL draft when they picked Trey Benson. It will be a committee that will most likely evolve as the season progresses and Conner always misses three or four games. Their schedule works against them with an NFL-worst eight games played at toughest venues. And it works out poorly when they start out with almost nothing but bad matchups for the first half of the season, then brighten up with four of the next five games against easier opponents. And then, back to facing three tough defenses to end their fantasy year.

Ezekiel Elliott/Rico Dowdle (DAL) – The largest concern is the quality of rushers – an aging Ezekiel Elliott is back and paired with Rico Dowdle. There’s a chance that the Cowboys will find someone, anyone, after the final cutdown, but they only get four games in easier venues and seven with the tougher opponents.

Zack Moss (CIN) – The Bengals let Joe Mixon leave for the Texans and replaced him with Zack Moss, who has never been better than the No. 31 fantasy back. Chase Brown will figure in and the backfield looks less appealing for 2024 when the schedule works against them. Their final five games after the Week 12 bye include three tough matchups and just one softer opponent in Week 17.

2024 weekly grid  

Fantasy points allowed per game 

These are the values from 2023 that were applied to this year’s schedule to determine strength of schedule for running backs.

DEN @ARI CAR LVR WAS @SEA IND NYJ MIA SEA @WAS NYG CIN GB @IND CHI
33.9 31.9 31.2 28.3 27.8 27.6 27.4 26.9 25.4 25.3 25.0 24.9 24.8 24.7 24.6 24.4
DAL @PIT TEN @NE @LAC @CHI ARI @JAC @BUF @NYJ @BAL LAC CLE HOU JAC @NYG
24.3 24.0 24.0 23.9 23.8 23.7 23.6 23.3 23.2 22.9 22.5 22.5 21.8 21.7 21.5 21.1
@KC SF @DEN MIN PHI @LVR @NO @PHI @HOU @MIN NO BUF @ATL PIT ATL @CAR
21.0 20.8 20.7 20.2 20.1 19.7 19.6 19.5 19.4 19.2 19.2 19.0 18.9 18.6 18.4 18.4
@LAR TB @GB @CLE @CIN KC BAL @TB @SF DET @DET NE LAR @TEN @DAL @MIA
18.3 18.3 18.2 18.0 18.0 17.6 17.4 16.8 16.2 15.9 15.6 15.4 15.0 14.1 13.6 13.5

 

Watch: Bengals RB Zack Moss puts up huge workout numbers

New Bengals RB Zack Moss putting up big numbers.

New Cincinnati Bengals running back Zack Moss now has his first highlight moment well before he actually partakes in a game.

This week, the Bengals social media team shared some of Moss’ own workout footage during offseason training.

In the footage, Moss puts up well over 400 pounds on a squat.

Moss is clearly working hard ahead of what might be the most important year of his career. He arrives in Cincinnati with the possibility of getting the most usage he’s seen to date while pairing with Chase Brown after the Bengals traded Joe Mixon to the Houston Texans.

A look at the brief clip:

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Zack Moss sounds hyped to join Joe Burrow’s Bengals offense

Interesting comments from new Bengals RB Zack Moss.

The Cincinnati Bengals have big plans for new running back Zack Moss and they’ve said as much in interviews since signing the former Indianapolis Colts running back in free agency.

As for Moss himself? He recently popped up with Kay Adams on the “Up and Adams” show and said general scheme fit was a big part of his signing with the team.

But so were the weapons around him.

“It’s hard to turn down a guy like Burrow…guys like Chase and  Higgins and just all the talent on both sides of the ball,” Moss said. “It’s so much space. That really intrigued me. Being able to play in a box when you only got six guys, maybe seven, and if there’s seven, it’s kind of gonna be real hard for them to defend the pass game. So it’s just something that I was like very, very intrigued about and super excited to be a Bengal.”

Moss will pair with sophomore Chase Brown in a one-two combo for the Bengals that is a little more of a scheme fit than they had with Joe Mixon, who is now a member of the Houston Texans.

While Moss’ arrival won’t stop the Bengals from adding another running back in the draft at the right value, it’s this easy-to-see collaboration with Brown and the overall offense that had the veteran running back interested in the Bengals.

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Bengals speak on plan for Zack Moss-Chase Brown RB combo

The Bengals have big plans for the new-look backfield.

As expected, the Cincinnati Bengals have plotted out a committee at running back by adding free agent Zack Moss to the running back room alongside Chase Brown.

Moss, who came over via free agency from the Colts as the team did the surprise Joe Mixon trade with the Texans, is a veteran who looks like the lead back.

But 2023 fifth-rounder Brown is right there, too, in the plans, especially when coaches get in front of microphones and talk about the room.

“It’s definitely going to be collaborative,” offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “You look across the league at that position anymore, and I think you’re best off when you’re sharing the workload with multiple people. Whether it’s two, three, four people. Everybody kind of fills their role. We’ll figure it out, but it comes back to what I’ve been saying all offseason. ‘What’s it going to take this week?'”

A year ago, the 26-year-old Brown took a career-high 183 carries and averaged 4.3 yards with five touchdowns, so the uptick in workload showcased what he might do with an even bigger chance.

And then there was Brown as a rookie who averaged 4.1 yards over 44 carries and would’ve had a bigger role last season were it not for an ill-timed injury.

Yet, fans will recall highs like this:

Talk of a committee approach doesn’t mean the Bengals won’t add another running back via the draft at the right value. But right now, the Moss-Brown combo certainly seems to be the plan.

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Look: Highlights for new Bengals RB Zack Moss

Highlights from the newest Joe Burrow weapon in the Bengals offense.

The Cincinnati Bengals really wanted free-agent running back Zack Moss.

So much so, while they saved cap space by cutting Joe Mixon in the process, the front office also outbid a big-spender like the Dallas Cowboys for his services.

One look at the highlights explains why.

Sure, there are advanced metrics like rushing yards over expected per carry (+0.71) to explain Moss’ effectiveness. But the eye test? There’s plenty of value in that for fans, too, especially so soon after a signing.

Here’s a look at some of the best highlights of Moss’ pro career to date from a variety of games:

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