Giovani Bernard (RB, CIN) - Week 13 Waiver Wire Pickups

November 27, 2018

Bengals running back (RB) Giovani Bernard is a waiver wire pickup and add target in leagues for Week 13 of the 2018 NFL season. Brady Grove recommends Bernard due to his involvement in the Cincy pass-attack behind Joe Mixon as Andy Dalton's options dwindle.

BALLER MOVE: Add in 14-Team Leagues

OWNED IN: 29% of Leagues

ANALYSIS: The Cincinnati Bengals organization is in a state of utter chaos. Hue Jackson is back at his old job after being fired by the Cleveland Browns, Marvin Lewis's departure is now all but certain after the Bengals have dropped two straight games to rookie quarterbacks heading the division-rival Browns and Ravens, and Andy Dalton just hit the IR with a thumb injury. This has forced Cincinnati to sign Tom Savage to backup new starting quarterback Jeff Driskel. While this doesn't bode well for the Bengals chances of climbing back into the wild card race, it could be good for Giovani Bernard. To his credit, Jeff Driskel proved component enough in replacing Andy Dalton this past week against Cleveland by throwing for 155 yards and a touchdown over 29 attempts. It's very possible that Driskel will target the Cincinnati running backs in the passing game as he grows accustomed to on-the-field play.

Bernard has been the second-most productive running back on the team behind Joe Mixon, though Mixon has received the lion's share of the work. Despite that, Gio ranks second on the team in carries (39), rushing yards (176), and rushing touchdowns (3). He has also remained a presence as a pass-catcher with 21 receptions out of 29 targets for 140 yards. In fact, in the four games that he played between weeks three and eleven before his non-existent week 12 performance, he averaged 25.5 receiving yards and 3.75 receptions out of five targets per contest. With A.J. Green possibly out for yet another week with a toe injury, Driskel's options may be limited against Denver. If the Bengals opt to run the ball more with Dalton and Green out of the game, Bernard could get a respectable volume of carries while operating as an effective option as a pass-catcher out of the Cincinnati backfield. That could get Giovani Bernard some momentum once more, and that makes him an interesting option moving towards the end of the regular season in deeper leagues.