AJ Green Injury: Fantasy Outlook for Key Bengals in Star WR's Absence

The Cincinnati Bengals offense is racking up the hospital bills this season. Young tight end Tyler Eifert is on short-term injured reserve with an elbow injury and wideout Marvin Jones has yet to recover from a broken foot. Now, it appears star wide receiver A.J. Green must be added to the ledger.

Green suffered an apparent toe injury in the Bengals' decisive Week 2 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

The Bengals' official Twitter account first reported the news:

Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com gave an update on the projected return for the Pro Bowl wide receiver:

"

It appears that A.J. Green won’t be lost for a long period of time and if he doesn’t play next Sunday against Tennessee, indications are he had a negative MRI and he’ll be ready after the bye week for the Oct. 5 game in New England. He wasn’t on crutches with his right toe injury and watched the last three quarters of Sunday’s 24-10 victory over Atlanta on the sideline.

"

This is cause for concern for fantasy football owners. The absence of a player like Green will have ripple effects throughout the entire offense. Let's take a look at the impact this injury will have on two of the Bengals' key offensive weapons, while wishing Green a speedy recovery.

Mohamed Sanu, WR

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

In the current iteration of the Bengals' injury-depleted receiving corps, Mohamed Sanu stands out. He's effectively the No. 1 target in the absence of the aforementioned players.

He played up to his top billing against the Falcons, notching three receptions on four targets for 84 yards and a touchdown.

SportsCenter commented on how he took charge in the face of adversity on Sunday:

Those targets are likely to increase next week, and it will be interesting to see if Sanu can adjust to the extra attention. The Bengals might struggle on offense as a whole, but Sanu should rack up a fair amount of receiving yards. And if desperate times do indeed call for desperate measures, Sanu could see some extra use as a trick-play option.

He completed a stunning 50-yard pass to Brandon Tate against the Falcons and has carried the ball a handful of times throughout his short career. He also picked up a two-point conversion catch in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens.

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Perhaps Sanu is a master at unearthing tough points, and his increased role will give him the opportunity to showcase his myriad talents to a wider range of fans.

The third-year pro still ranks fairly low in terms of fantasy football adds, according to Yahoo Sports, so there is still an opportunity for fans to pick him up if in need of some short-term help at the wide receiver position. However, the offense as a whole could struggle a bit, so don't expect Sanu's numbers to make you the envy of your entire fantasy league.

Sanu is a fine athlete with great flex-option potential on most fantasy teams in Green's absence.

Giovani Bernard, RB

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

The Bengals play the Tennessee Titans in Week 3. They have an above-average pass defense but gave up 167 yards on the ground to Dallas Cowboys halfback DeMarco Murray on Sunday. Head coach Marvin Lewis may be inclined to give the Titans a steady diet of running backs Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill with quarterback Andy Dalton short on viable passing options, outside of Sanu.

Bernard already saw a big boost in his carries from the first week of the season to the second. 

Week	Opponent	Carries	Rush Yds	Rec	Rec Yds	Tot. TDs
1	Ravens	14	48	6	62	0
2	Falcons	27	90	5	79	1

His yards-per-carry numbers aren't great, but the Bengals appear to be inclined to continue to hand him the ball early and often. ESPN Stats & Info noted he was a menace in the first half in Week 2:

This uplifting trend will only solidify in Green's absence, making Bernard even more of a surefire starting fantasy option going forward.

Tackle Andrew Whitworth noted after the game that offensive coordinator Hue Jackson has always preached a tough running game.

"It’s the intangibles and fortitude we have to be great,” Whitworth said, via Hobson.  “He preaches it every week. That’s the mindset, the attitude that no matter what is called, we’ll find a way to make it work. To be honest, that’s the biggest difference."

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

And if Dalton struggles to find options downfield, Bernard could find himself getting even more involved in the passing game. Look for Bernard to get four to six targets in the passing game and 25-plus touches overall.

This boosts the chances for the shifty, diminutive back to break for even more big plays if given space in the flats, especially if daylight is hard to come by between the tackles. The Bengals as a team have looked strong despite all of the injuries, so this could be one of the weeks where Bernard is able to justify his lofty draft ranking (35.5 ADP per ESPN.com) with relative ease.

This all depends on Green's recovery, but the Bengals are a well-coached team equipped to handle his absence from the lineup.