Giovani Bernard, Jeremy Hill Post-Week 15 Fantasy Advice

The Cincinnati Bengals may have clinched a playoff spot with Sunday's 24-14 win over the San Francisco 49ers, but quarterback Andy Dalton’s broken thumb shouldn’t be their only concern on offense.

The Bengals' platoon backfield of Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill combined for just 64 yards on 33 carries against the league’s second-worst run defense.

But the more alarming concern for fantasy owners is the nearly even divide in playing time—Bernard had 126 carries for 647 yards this season entering Sunday's matchup, while Hill had 169 attempts for 604 yards—which makes lineup decisions a nightmare.

Rush Attempts	Rush Yards	Receptions	Receiving Yards	Total TDs	Fantasy Points
14	33	4	18	0	4

While Hill has been the starter since finishing 2014 hotter than any other running back, Bernard is still seeing his share.

What's the difference between the two? Scoring.

Bernard has reached the end zone just twice, while Hill has punched in 10 scores this season.

On Sunday, Bernard was the go-to back for the first four drives but faded in favor of Hill midway through the second quarter after the Bengals punted three times and turned it over on downs once.

Zach Wilkens of RotoBaller noticed the team’s early antics on offense:

Since the Bengals' bye in Week 7, Bernard is averaging just 6.1 fantasy points per game and has eclipsed double digits only once.

There are better options out there for fantasy owners.

Rush Attempts	Rush Yards	Receptions	Receiving Yards	Total TDs	Fantasy Points
19	31	0	0	2	13

Hill is the epitome of a boom-or-bust back, as ESPN Stats & Info noted:

His eight touchdowns entering Sunday's game were tied for second in the league, but most of those have come in goal-line situations.

NFL Fantasy Football pointed out how opportunistic Hill has been:

Such was the case Sunday, when he scored on a pair of one-yard runs that helped put the Bengals up 14-0.

For that reason, owners should at least consider him as a flex option down the stretch.

While Hill’s point production is respectable, it’s not what owners were expecting when drafting him in the early rounds of their drafts this year.

After he averaged 14.5 fantasy points per game in the final seven weeks of last season, many penciled Hill in for a breakout year in 2015. But that hasn’t been the case. He hasn’t come close to matching the numbers from last year's seven-week stretch over the course of this season.

All stats courtesy ESPN.com standard leagues.