A.J. Green Will Benefit from Early Bye, Continue to Be Elite Fantasy WR Option

An early-season toe injury was cause for alarm for the Cincinnati Bengals and fantasy owners who'd invested a high draft pick in star wide receiver A.J. Green.

Thankfully for the many parties involved, Green showed no signs of slowing down in Week 3, catching six passes for 102 yards in a 33-7 romp over the Tennessee Titans.

Now Green has plenty of momentum to build on entering the Bengals' Week 4 bye, along with time to recuperate from any lingering effects his toe might have had. Andrew Perloff of Sports Illustrated weighed in on Green's bounce-back performance:

Thus, fantasy owners have nothing to worry about, as the fourth-year stud has all the looks of a No. 1 fantasy option with toughness to boot. Those who were patient with him through Week 3 already likely know this.

After leaving early and failing to register a catch in Week 2—the first time in his career he hadn't recorded at least one reception in a game he played—Green raised some serious concerns.

With just one missed game entering the 2014 season, though, there is no reason to panic about Green's durability. He has been able to stay on the field with regularity, always finding a way to produce despite being Bengals QB Andy Dalton's clear top target—and for good reason.

Dave Richard of CBSSports.com highlighted how much of an impact Green's absence had on Cincinnati's game plan in Week 2's matchup against the Atlanta Falcons:

One might argue that Green isn't in line for a strong stat line right after the bye, when the Bengals travel to Foxboro to take on the New England Patriots.

But the reputation that precedes Pats stud cornerback Darrelle Revis may be a bit deceptive, at least to start 2014, per NFL Network's Andrew Siciliano:

New England has the No. 1 pass defense in the NFL, yet that statistic may be a bit misleading. Its opposing QBs have consisted of the Miami Dolphins' Ryan Tannehill, the Minnesota Vikings' Matt Cassel and Oakland Raider rookie Derek Carr, who as is evident above, had success throwing at Revis.

Pro Football Focus makes a pertinent point with regard to Green's production, accentuating the sensational protection Dalton has enjoyed this year:

"

Least pressured QB? Andy Dalton facing it on just 15.1% of dropbacks. 2nd is Kirk Cousins (19.3%) and 3rd Peyton Manning (21.2%)

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) September 23, 2014"

The Bengals have the balance to keep opposing defenses off balance with a young backfield tandem in Giovani Bernard and bruising rookie Jeremy Hill. That gives Dalton the ability to attack all areas of the field, including vertically, where Green can produce big plays with his impeccable ball skills.

In an interview with the MMQB's Peter King (h/t NFL.com's Kevin Petra), a radiant Dalton was pleased at how well his first year under play-caller Hue Jackson has gone thus far:

"What I like about what we're doing is we put defenses on edge. They don't know what we're doing," said Dalton. "...We're playing with a lot of confidence right now. When [Jackson] calls something, I really think it's going to work."

Dalton has yet to even be sacked this year. Like an undecided college major, that will change. If the general trend holds true, though, the anthropomorphic machine Green already is will become even more unstoppable.

It should be a perfunctory exercise to place Green in one's fantasy lineup if one is fortunate enough to have him, regardless of the matchup. With the Patriots up next in Week 5, the immediate outlook is extremely bright.

As is the future. After the New England game, Cincinnati plays a Carolina Panthers team that just yielded 37 points to the Pittsburgh Steelers and travels to Indianapolis to face a Colts secondary that gives up 276.3 yards through the air per contest.

The early Week 4 bye may be deemed too early for some. Heck, it could even result in the Bengals tiring out too fast by the time the postseason hits. But there's a lot of football to be played between now and when such a potential phenomenon is determinable.

With the way the season started for Green regarding his Week 2 scare, "Who Dey?" nation and many fantasy footballers have to be thrilled. The timing of the Bengals' idle week almost couldn't be better, especially since Green can rest up for a number of favorable matchups on tap.