Stat Predictions for the Cincinnati Bengals' Key Offensive Players

It's constantly said in sports that defense wins championships, and while I'm a firm believer in that, it's no secret that you're not winning if you're not scoring.

It's clear who two of the offensive stars are going to be in Cincinnati—the town's newest darlings, Andy Dalton and A.J. Green.  Make no mistake, they will both have stellar seasons.

Meanwhile, there are other guys on this team that should shine as well.  Here is what you can expect to see from the Bengals' offense.

Orson Charles, TE

2012 Statistics: 20 receptions, 320 yards, 2 TD

I'll go ahead and kick this off with one of the team's newest additions, rookie Orson Charles.  He's cut from the same mold as Jermaine Gresham—physical blocker, but knows how to catch.

Given that he's a rookie and that he has arrived after Gresham, I don't expect a big season from Charles.  In a couple seasons, the Gresham-Charles duo could be comparable to the Gronkowki-Hernandez pairing in New England.

For the time being, the powerful man from Georgia will likely be used primarily as an extra blocker, and occasionally get a route here and there.

Jermaine Gresham, TE

2012 Statistics: 55 receptions, 680 yards, 6 TD

Speaking of Jermaine Gresham, he made a name for himself as a top-tier tight end in 2011.  He put up nearly 600 yards and had six touchdowns, essentially establishing himself as Andy Dalton's second favorite target.

Gresham is one of the quicker and more agile tight ends in the league, making him more valuable as a receiver than a blocker. 

While we can hope for Gresham's numbers to improve, this projection has them staying basically the same.  With the addition of two rookie receivers and the return of Jordan Shipley, Dalton's options are more widespread.  Still, it's going to be another solid season for Cincy's star tight end.

Backup Receivers

Marvin Jones: 20 receptions, 250 yards, 1 TD

Marvin Jones was a late-round draft pick in 2012 for the Bengals, and his position in the receiving corps remains unclear.  Unfortunately for him, the group of receivers is suddenly very crowded, so I don't expect a huge year from Jones in 2012.  He'll be a solid man in a couple years, but for now, he'll simply be learning the offense while being involved here and there.

Ryan Whalen: 15 receptions, 110 yards, 1 TD

Whalen struggled with injuries as a rookie in 2011, as he only appeared in four games.  He stood out at Stanford with Andrew Luck as his quarterback, so he certainly has the hands to be successful.  Like Jones, though, he'll struggle to see action with so many guys lining up to catch, so he'll largely be a situational receiver.

Andrew Hawkins: 25 receptions, 330 yards, 1 TD

In 2011, Hawkins filled in nicely for the injured Jordan Shipley, gathering 23 receptions for over 260 yards.  As quick as Hawkins is, his size works against him—he stands at a mere 5'7".  Like the other two guys, he's going to struggle to see as much time on the field.  Still, he made an impact in 2011, so he'll see the occasional spots on the field.

Brandon Tate: 5 receptions, 70 yards, 0 TD

I know that Tate is in a battle to be the second receiver opposite A.J. Green, but I don't see it happening for him.  Shipley is returning, Armon Binns is simply more talented, Mohamed Sanu is a talented rookie, and Tate has always been primarily a special teams guy.  He had respectable numbers in 2010 in New England, but I think it'd be foolish for Tate to claim a spot in the Cincinnati receiving corps.  I'm not buying into any hype for Tate, and I don't expect him to see much more time on the offense than he did last season.

Mohamed Sanu, WR

2012 Statistics: 60 receptions, 850 yards, 5 TD

Here is a guy that I have liked ever since I saw him play at Rutgers—it was extremely exciting to see Cincinnati draft Mohamed Sanu.

He's my personal preference to be the second receiver on the team.  If given the proper opportunity, Sanu can pair with A.J. Green in a big way, forming a similar duo to what Arizona had with Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.

Sanu is incredibly powerful and will go all out to make the catch.  Green will draw attention from a lot of defenders, thus leaving Sanu in man coverage.  No matter where he starts the season, expect the rookie from Rutgers to make a name for himself in 2012.

Jordan Shipley, WR

2012 Statistics: 50 receptions, 675 yards, 4 TD

As good as Jordan Shipley is, he's best used as a slot receiver.  He really isn't even a good consideration to be the second receiver on the field.

We saw A.J. Green make long, downfield catches last season, and that's what I think we're going to get with Shipley's return.  He's very fast and can run down any ball if Dalton can leave it in the air long enough.

Shipley will have the type of effect in Cincinnati that Lance Moore has in New Orleans—a simple slot man who can secretly get open and make the long catches.  That will build a good season for the young receiver.

Armon Binns, WR

2012 Statistics: 31 receptions, 450 yards, 3 TD

At this point, it appears that this will be the man who fills in as second receiver.  While the competition rages on, second-year man Armon Binns, out of the University of Cincinnati, heads the list.

I've not heard much about Binns, and I know he's struggled with dropping balls in the past, but he can jump.  Clearly, if he can get up higher than defenders, he'll have an advantage.

For now, I'm taking a shot in the dark with Binns' stats.  If he turns out to be the second receiver, he definitely has the capabilities to turn into one of this year's surprises.

A.J. Green, WR

2012 Statistics: 90 receptions, 1,200 yards, 8 TD

In 2011, everyone was concerned about what the departure of Chad Ochocinco would mean to the Bengals.  And then A.J. Green came along.

Seven touchdowns and 1,057 yards later, Cincinnati had forgotten about #85.  Now, Green is the star of the team, and you can bet that the experts and fantasy owners are taking a close look at him.

He had a stellar rookie campaign that put him on the map. Now, 2012 will see Green make himself a top five receiver in the league.  Granted, in terms of skills, he's there already, but the numbers are going to reflect it now.

Bernard Scott, RB

2012 Statistics: 120 attempts, 500 yards, 4 TD

After averaging over four yards per carry in 2009 and 2010, Scott averaged only 3.4 in 2011.  That's a clear drop off, but I don't blame the speedy Bernard Scott completely for that—the guards in Cincinnati were awful last season, and didn't open many holes for the running game.

This season, watch for Scott to use his speed and power to scoop up more yardage than he's ever gotten.  Jay Gruden likes to use Scott on situational downs, and he is much faster than BenJarvus Green-Ellis.

In addition to averaging over four yards per carry, it's also likely that we'll see Scott catch 10-15 passes out of the backfield. With the crowded receiving corps, that would be a useful tool in throwing the defense through a loop.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB

2012 Statistics: 215 attempts, 900 yards, 12 TD

I'm not the biggest believer in BenJarvus Green-Ellis, but with a much-improved offensive line, a guy like Green-Ellis is going to benefit.  In New England, he struggled to really do much in terms of gaining yards—it was obviously a passing-oriented offense.

Though a lot of focus will be on Andy Dalton and the passing game, the addition of Green-Ellis is certainly a step-up from Cedric Benson.  He's younger and quicker, and has more upside at this point in both of their careers.

He topped 1,000 yards in 2010 and has had double-digit touchdowns in each of the last couple seasons.  With the power the Law Firm carries, watch for him to make a big impact in the Queen City.

Andy Dalton, QB

2012 Statistics: 303-540, 4,120 yards, 30 TD, 16 INT

After showing that he's a capable NFL quarterback in 2011, Andy Dalton is going to be in the spotlight this season.  Everyone is going to be examining him, waiting for some kind of proof that the sophomore slump is approaching.

I don't see it happening that way.  Dalton is a competent passer who makes good decisions.  He had a few growing pains towards the end of his rookie season, but he's a smart guy and he won't continue to make those silly errors.

Even so, he's got an All-Star cast around him, so he'll have that advantage working for him.  Watch for Dalton to lead a division-winning charge in his second season.