Tyler Boyd

Boyd was one of the few Bengals who didn't match or exceed expectations last year, dropping to 4.2 catches for 51.8 yards per game after three consecutive years with at least 5.3 receptions for 56.1 yards. It was only in fantasy terms that Boyd disappointed, as a 71.3 percent catch rate and 8.8 YPT were the second-best marks of his six-year career. He's only 27 and has two 1,000-yard seasons on his resume, but Boyd may be slipping to a distant Option C after finishing last year with 16 fewer targets than Tee Higgins (who missed three games) and 34 fewer than Ja'Marr Chase. Then again, it might not be so bad as the third option in a top offense, and there's still upside for triple-digit targets if Higgins or Chase misses time with an injury. The Bengals don't have a top pass-catching back, nor a target hog at tight end (where Hayden Hurst replaces C.J. Uzomah), and coach Zac Taylor's offenses have consistently ranked top 5 in use of three-wide formations.

Boyd was more or less himself last year, catching a decent volume of short passes while not being asked to make big plays or catches near the goal line. He missed the better part of two games with a concussion but still led the team with 79 catches, despite playing with substandard quarterbacks after Joe Burrow went down in Week 11. At 6-2, 203, Boyd has good size for a slot receiver, is tough enough to catch passes in traffic and has reliable hands. His 4.58 40 speed isn’t going to scare anyone, but he’s a solid route runner and knows how to get open in the short and intermediate areas. This year, A.J. Green is gone, but second-year man Tee Higgins should fill Green’s former role, and fifth overall draft pick Ja’Marr Chase is likely to see significant work right away. Still, there’s not a ton of depth behind Boyd, Chase and Higgins — Auden Tate has shown flashes — and the team has no real pass-catching tight end, i.e., Boyd should be in line for regular targets. Burrow is expected to be healthy for Week 1, something that bodes well, but given Boyd’s lack of big-play ability and the addition of Chase, Boyd’s ceiling is modest.

The 2016 second-round pick built on his 2018 breakout to lead the Bengals in every major receiving category in 2019. But Boyd's success came at a cost to his efficiency - from 13.5 YPC and 9.5 YPT in 2018 to 11.6 and 7.1, respectively. Part of that goes with the territory of being the undisputed top receiver (A.J. Green missed the entire year rather than just some of it), and part of that was playing three games with a backup quarterback. Moreover, even when Andy Dalton was under center the offensive line was one of the worst in the league, putting a damper on the entire passing game. This year, things should be different. For starters, Green will be back after receiving the franchise tag, so Boyd likely will be a co-No. 1 rather than the only game in town. The Bengals also drafted superstar QB prospect Joe Burrow with the first overall pick and wideout Tee Higgins at No. 33. Burrow is more mobile than Dalton, and should make more plays behind what's likely - if only by regression to the mean - to be an improved O-line. But Higgins is yet another mouth to feed in the offense, and given his pedigree and draft slot, likely to be involved as a rookie. At 6-2, 203, and running a 4.58 40, Boyd's physical tools don't jump out, but he's a polished route runner in the prime of his career, and we'd expect him to be Burrow's security blanket even if Green, erratic speedster John Ross, Higgins and/or Auden Tate all get a piece of the receiving pie.

A second-round pick in 2016, Boyd did nothing during his first two seasons in the league to suggest a Year 3 breakout. But he emerged Week 2 with a 6-91-1 line, followed it up Week 3 with 6-132-1, Week 4 with 11-100-0 and never looked back. And while Bengals' top wideout A.J. Green missed seven games last year, his first missed game was Week 9, well after Boyd had established himself as Andy Dalton's other top target. In other words, a healthy Green wouldn't be a major negative for Boyd in 2019. At 6-2, 203, Boyd has good size but below-average speed (4.58 40). He's a polished route runner and effective on intermediate routes - 21 catches of 20-plus yards (7th) on only 108 targets (T-23rd) - but not much of a downfield threat (only one catch of 40-plus). Boyd averaged a robust 9.5 YPT (8th) thanks to a 70 percent catch rate. He isn't much of a red-zone presence - only 10 targets there all year, and three from inside the 10, and that was with Green and tight end Tyler Eifert missing significant time. Boyd returns as the Bengals' clear No. 2 wideout, though he'll serve as the team's top option early in the season while Green recovers from an ankle injury that will force him to miss at least a couple of games. Boyd, who missed the season's final two games with a sprained right MCL, was completely recovered for the offseason program and signed to a four-year, $43 million extension before the start of training camp.

Boyd is one of the top five wide receivers in NFL history at least according only to the perspective of a Bills fan on December 31, 2017, as his 49-yard touchdown reception against the Ravens put the Bills into the playoffs. Alas, that one catch accounted for nearly 22 percent of Boyd's receiving yards for the entire season and one of his two touchdowns. Boyd missed six games last year and significant parts of others, occasionally getting benched as a coaches' decision, while nursing a knee injury on other occasions. This is a big year for the 2016 second-round pick -- if he doesn't make significant strides, the Bengals will almost certainly have to look to replace him in the 2019 draft.

Boyd, who was selected 55th overall in the 2016 NFL Draft, caught at least one pass in all 16 games during his rookie campaign but produced deflated fantasy value as he found the end zone just once. He still provided exceptional consistency as the Bengals' No. 3 receiver, however, finishing the season with 54 receptions for 603 yards and one score on 81 targets. There was a real chance that Boyd would have a clear path to the No. 2 receiver spot behind A.J. Green heading into 2017, but the team elected to re-sign Brandon LaFell before drafting speedster John Ross with the ninth overall pick in this year's draft. Ross is dealing with an offseason shoulder injury, however, so it may take some time for the rookie to become accustomed to the physicality of NFL defensive backs. Tight end Tyler Eifert will also vulture plenty of targets, so quarterback Andy Dalton will have a multitude of mouths to feed in the Bengals' aerial attack.

The 55th overall pick in this year's draft, Boyd landed in an ideal spot. With Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu both gone, Boyd only has to beat out 29-year-old Brandon LaFell for the starting role opposite A.J. Green. Even if he doesn't, both should see plenty of looks while Green and tight end Tyler Eifert absorb the defense's attention. At 6-2, 200, Boyd has decent size, but he's not especially fast or athletic (4.58 40.) He put up big numbers in college (254-3,361-21) and is a polished route runner for a rookie, but is unlikely to be a downfield weapon or go-to option in the red zone.