Greg Little's Updated Fantasy Outlook Following Signing with Bengals

With Marvin Jones heading to injured reserve and A.J. Green likely on the shelf for at least one more week, the Bengals are making moves to bolster their wide receiver corps. The team announced the signing of former Cleveland Browns wideout Greg Little on Tuesday.

Little, 25, spent his first three NFL seasons with the Browns after being taken in the second round (No. 59 overall) in 2011. He flashed promise as a rookie and was among Cleveland's leading receivers for each campaign, but he became known for drops and saw his receptions and yardage totals decrease every year.

"My numbers were good but not what they could have been had I maximized every opportunity that I had a chance to catch the ball," Little told reporters in August of his time in Cleveland, via Jerry McDonald of the San Jose Mercury News.

The Oakland Raiders claimed Little on waivers after he was released in May before cutting him as part of their trim down to the 53-man minimum. The North Carolina product made five receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown during the preseason.

Cincinnati's signing of Little comes entirely out of necessity. Jones, expected to be the Bengals' second receiver, was placed on injured reserve earlier Tuesday. He traveled to North Carolina for an examination on his balky right ankle, which has kept him out of the lineup all season, per ESPN.com's Cole Harvey.

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

Green, the Bengals' perennial Pro Bowler and one of the best wideouts in football, missed last week's tie against the Carolina Panthers with an injury that was described as more severe than turf toe by coach Marvin Lewis, via the Sporting News' Rana L. Cash. He is not expected to make the trip with his teammates to Indianapolis, where Cincinnati will be jockeying for what could become the second bye in the AFC.

Without Jones and Green, the Bengals are down to four healthy receivers. Mohamed Sanu acquitted himself nicely as a top wideout in Green's stead, while Brandon Tate slotted into Sanu's old role. Dane Sanzenbacher also saw an expansion of his role as the third wideout.

Little's impact, from a real-life and fantasy perspective, will be minimal. He does not have any history working in Hue Jackson's offensive system, so it will probably take him a couple weeks to get acclimated.

Receiver is typically one of the most difficult positions to slot a player in on the fly; it's why even high-profile players have struggled following the ever-so-rare midseason trade. Little will have to learn route trees, develop a rapport with Andy Dalton and learn simple things like play verbiage before getting a shot.

The Bengals offense also managed more than 500 total yards sans Green last week, so it's not as if he's headed into a dire situation.

Little is a semi-talented warm body on a team that needed the latter more than the former. Another injury would cut Cincy's temporary receiving corps to three players—not exactly ideal, even for an offense that's not lacking in two-tight end sets.

Former practice-squadder Colin Lockett had the role last week that Little will occupy now. Lockett did not receive a single snap on special teams or at receiver, and he was let go Tuesday, likely with plans on coming back to the practice squad.

Given that Lockett did not see the field and he knew the game plan coming in, odds are Jackson won't be comfortable enough with Little to put him in the game during a time when he can actually make an impact.

Green will be back soon enough, and the Bengals had settled into a comfortable wideout rotation before his injury. Sanu has broken out as a multifaceted weapon, Tate and Sanzenbacher are both capable auxiliary receivers and rookie James Wright has done fine work on special teams.

Moral of the story: Fantasy owners would be better off picking up a member of Little Giants than Greg Little. Ignore this and keep riding the Sanu wave.

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter