Giovani Bernard, Trayveon Williams Fantasy Outlook After Joe Mixon's Injury

Fantasy football managers may be scrambling after Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon was ruled out of Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns with a foot injury, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The Bengals player who stands to benefit the most from Mixon's absence is backup running back Giovani Bernard.

Here is a rundown of what you should expect from Bernard and fellow Bengals running back Trayveon Williams from a fantasy perspective while Mixon is on the shelf.

Giovani Bernard

When Mixon missed two games in 2018 with a knee injury, Bernard put up impressive numbers.

He got the start in Weeks 3 and 4 of the 2018 campaign, registering 130 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, along with nine receptions for 52 yards.

Bernard was a high-level RB2 with Mixon out of the picture, and he has a lofty ceiling in point-per-reception leagues given his pass-catching ability.

Overall, he has registered 44 rushing yards and 115 receiving yards this season.

Bernard appeared in all 16 games last season, but he wasn't used much with Mixon healthy and totaled just 170 rushing yards, as well as 30 receptions for 234 yards. He also finished without a touchdown for the first time in his career.

Mixon has thrived as a bell-cow back, but Bernard is likely to get most of the touches out of the Cincinnati backfield for the time being.

Given the success Bernard has enjoyed when given the opportunity to take on a greater role during his career, he should be added in all formats.

Trayveon Williams

Cincinnati selected Williams in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL draft out of Texas A&M after he racked up 1,760 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground as a junior in 2018.

After not putting up any stats as a rookie last season, Williams is yet to record a touch this season either.

Williams showed during his college career that he can take on a heavy workload, but with just 66 catches over three collegiate seasons, he is not a top-end receiving back, which is why Bernard still holds the edge over him with Mixon out.

Also, most players on the Cincinnati offense are more familiar with Bernard in the backfield, which gives him a leg up.

The Bengals' running back situation is worth monitoring while Mixon is out. Williams could be a solid pickup if there is close to a 50-50 split in touches, but Bernard is the guy to roster as things stand.