Bengals RB Jeremy Hill a Must-Add Fantasy Option Against Jaguars in Week 9

Cincinnati Bengals running back Jeremy Hill hasn't exactly been a fantasy revelation to this point in his rookie season.

The former LSU standout and second-round draft pick has averaged just 3.9 yards per carry in 2014 and has rushed for more than 50 yards only once—a 74-yard outing against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2. 

Hill, however, hasn't exactly been given a ton of opportunities as the secondary option behind Giovani Bernard. In fact, he has averaged just nine touches per game through Week 8.

So why is Hill a must-start in Week 9?

Well, there are a few reasons. The biggest reason, of course, is the fact that Bernard has been ruled out with hip and collarbone injuries. This means that Hill will get the start against the Jacksonville Jaguars and should see a significant workload.

As a team, the Bengals have run the ball an average of 28.1 times per contest this season. With Bernard out, the vast majority of the snaps should go to Hill. Even if his 3.9 yards-per-carry average holds, this should still put him on pace for a 100-yard game.

Topping that average remains a very real possibility, especially against a Jaguars team that has struggled to contain the ground game this season.

According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Jacksonville is the eighth-worst team in the entire league at defending the run. The Jaguars have shown the ability to stop a running back at times this season (they held Branden Oliver to 23 yards in Week 4 and Ben Tate to 36 yards in Week 7), but on average, the team is surrendering 115 rushing yards per game.

With star receiver A.J. Green likely to return on Sunday, the Cincinnati passing attack should roll out in full force. Green's ability to stretch the field should pose enough of a threat to prevent the Jaguars from selling out against the run.

Hill should also have opportunities to make plays as a pass-catcher. Quarterback Andy Dalton utilizes his running backs in the passing game (36 of his 142 completions have gone to backs), and Hill has shown the ability to make things happen after the catch.

He has averaged 10.1 yards per reception this season and averaged the same with LSU a season ago. Cincinnati should expect to get similar production out of Hill four or five times against Jacksonville. In addition to the extra yardage, this gives Hill added value in PPR leagues.

Att	Yds	Avg	Rec	Rec Yds	TD
50	195	3.9	13	131	3

Hill should also get all of the goal-line work, which could be a lot against a Jacksonville team that has allowed an average of 27.2 points per game. At 6'1" and 238 pounds, Hill is built to excel in short-yardage situations, including those that cross the goal line.

There is also the potential for Cincinnati to jump ahead on the scoreboard early and use Hill to grind out the clock and shorten the football game. Cedric Peerman is likely to see a little playing time in this scenario. However, I would expect Hill to still be the workhorse, even if the Bengals are simply trying to put the game away.

At the low end, expect Hill to surpass the 100-yard mark in total yardage with a handful of receptions sprinkled throughout. If Cincinnati gets out to an early lead and Hill takes advantage of the matchup, he should have little trouble racking up 150 combined yards or more and finding the end zone a time or two.