Tyler Boyd, Joe Mixon, More Fantasy Outlook After Andy Dalton's Injury

The nightmare scenario is here for both the Cincinnati Bengals and fantasy football owners after quarterback Andy Dalton suffered a thumb injury Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, the Bengals announced.

With Dalton unavailable, the Bengals turned to Jeff Driskel at quarterback, a move that will have a domino effect for receiver Tyler Boyd, running back Joe Mixon and tight end C.J. Uzomah. Their fantasy values could take a noticeable hit until Dalton returns.

When Dalton is healthy, Boyd is firmly in WR2 territory. Take Dalton away for a game or two, and Boyd likely becomes more of a flex.

Boyd has improved in his third season, catching 56 passes for 756 yards and five touchdowns prior to Sunday's game. Because of that, benching Boyd would be premature, but don't be surprised if he fails to hit his projected numbers with Dalton off the field.

Mixon might be one of the few skill-position players to benefit from Dalton's absence since Cincinnati is likely to lean more heavily on the running game.

The Bengals have Giovani Bernard in the backfield as well, but there's no question Mixon is the No. 1 option on the ground. His 584 rushing yards and five touchdowns heading into Sunday were both first on the team.

Mixon's value should at least remain the same after Dalton's injury, and he even might be in store for a bump in production.

Uzomah took over as the Bengals' starting tight end when Tyler Eifert suffered a season-ending broken ankle in Week 4. His numbers haven't been too impressive, though, with 23 receptions for 248 yards and two touchdowns before Sunday's game.

Even though he's basically locked in as Cincinnati's starter for the rest of the year, Uzomah isn't worth adding unless you're desperate for options at tight end. Especially with Dalton out, it's impossible to predict any week-to-week consistency from the fourth-year veteran.