The Bengals let Tyler Boyd and Joe Mixon go this offseason and replaced them with a scrap-heaped Zack Moss, a rookie wide receiver, and two (count ‘em, TWO!) rookie tight ends. They’re hoping that Tee Higgins remains a Bengal, but if they can’t keep him around, they hope they have done enough to keep the offense humming. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the 2024 Cincinnati Bengals’ fantasy football draft class!
FULL 2024 CINCINNATI BENGALS DRAFT RESULTS
| Round | Pick | Player | Pos | College |
| 1 | 18 | Amarius Mims | OT | Georgia |
| 2 | 49 | Kris Jenkins | DT | Michigan |
| 3 | 80 | Jermaine Burton | WR | Alabama |
| 3 | 97 | McKinnley Jackson | DT | Texas A&M |
| 4 | 115 | Erick All | TE | Iowa |
| 5 | 149 | Josh Newton | CB | TCU |
| 6 | 194 | Tanner McLachlan | TE | Arizona |
| 6 | 214 | Cedric Johnson | EDGE | Ole Miss |
| 7 | 224 | Daijahn Anthony | S | Ole Miss |
| 7 | 237 | Matt Lee | OC | Miami |
Round 3, Pick 80 Overall: Jermaine Burton, Wide Receiver, Alabama (6’0” 196 lbs)
Talent:
Burton is a lot of fun to watch, as he is so quick on his breaks in and out of routes that even the best defensive backs can’t help but lose a step on him. He didn’t run a ton of routes at Georgia, but he was able to get open at all three levels. Unfortunately, his quick breaks out of his stems come at the expense of technician footwork, though it doesn’t seem to matter. He isn’t the fastest guy, though he’s still very fast (4.45 40-yard dash), which didn’t come into play on most routes, but it did make him susceptible to failure on 9 routes, where defensive backs could keep up with him unless he varied the cadence of his route. His best traits, however, are his hands. He has automatic paws, and he pairs them with the ability to catch the ball through contact, with tacklers bouncing right off of him at the point of the catch. Unfortunately, he struggles with YAC, though a lot of that comes with the fact that he was tasked with making so many crazy catches at Georgia.
NFL Comparison: Jahan Dotson
2024 Opportunity:
This is a tricky one, because the Bengals will use Burton as either their WR2 or WR3, depending on the outcome of the Tee Higgins drama. But, I still think that Burton will get plenty of usage, either as the WR2 or the WR3 in this offense. 2023 was a disaster for the Bengals thanks to the myriad of Joe Burrow injuries, but back in 2021 and 2022, when the Bengals were humming with three receivers, Tyler Boyd (as the WR3) averaged 110 targets, 74 receptions, 1060 yards, and 6.5 touchdowns between the two seasons. If the Bengals are humming, then Jermaine Burton will be a part of it. They took him with a day two pick to ensure a continuation of the Tyler Boyd role, and I firmly believe that they see Burton as that this year, with him blossoming into a Tee Higgins volume shortly.
2024 Fantasy Football Outlook:
Every year, about 20% of the receivers taken in the first two days end up inside the top 36 at the position. They don’t always work out well for the whole season, but they put enough good games together to make you happy that you took them in your fantasy football leagues. I believe that Burton will be in that 20% this year, and you can get him very late in your fantasy football drafts. He’s WR76 off the board and is someone that I want to take a late-round dart throw on in deeper leagues. In 10-team leagues, you can just keep an eye on him, but he has a great chance of finishing as a core part of your roster thanks to his impending volume.
TALENT:
2024 OPPORTUNITY:
2024 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK:
Round 4, Pick 115 Overall: Erick All, Tight End, Iowa (6’4” 252 lbs)
Talent:
All suffered two major injuries in the last three seasons, and he is coming off of an ACL tear from last October. He is a speedy guy for the position with a good athletic profile, frequently changing direction on routes with an economy of steps. He’s very clean in and out of his breaks, and he has great hands. He is also a good blocker, though he does struggle between blocks at times, not completing the first block before trying for the second. Sorry, you’re not Trent Williams, you can’t block two dudes at once. That being said, he has a lot of traits that I like. He’s athletic, he finds holes in space, he stabs at the ball with his hands, and he is speedy and elusive after the catch. All does have some focus drops at times, and he can get frozen and end up blocking nobody sometimes, but he isn’t going to be expected to be a top-flight tight end.
NFL Comparison: Austin Hooper
2024 Opportunity:
Every year, someone tries to talk themselves into a Bengals’ tight end. But, they conveniently ignore that the Bengals’ high watermark in tight end usage in the last half-decade still sits outside the top half of the league in the league in tight end target rate. They are one of the least targeted position groups in the league, and that is mostly because of their bevy of wide receiver talent. Despite Tyler Boyd giving way to Jermaine Burton, that still rings true. The Bengals simply don’t use their tight ends, and on top of that, they added Mike Gesicki, meaning that at best, Erick All will share his measly target volume with at least Gesicki
2024 Fantasy Football Outlook:
Despite Sam LaPorta and Dalton Kincaid, I still won’t buy into rookie tight ends, especially round-four guys.
TALENT:
2024 OPPORTUNITY:
2024 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK:
Round 6, Pick 194 Overall: Tanner McLachlan, Tight End, Arizona (6’5” 244 lbs)
Talent:
Tanner McLachlan doesn’t really thrill me. He does a lot of stuff proficiently enough, but his footwork betrays him at every given opportunity. McLachlan gets blown off his spot as a blocker, and he isn’t a particularly elusive route runner, all because he can’t get his footwork right. He works extremely hard, and he is a willing blocker and pass catcher, he just doesn’t move the needle for me. He profiles as a Ross Dwelley or a Blake Bell in the NFL; a guy who is versatile and active enough that he won’t hurt you, but not someone who you want on the field for the majority of downs.
2024 Opportunity:
At best, Tanner McLachlan is going to be the fifth pass option on any given play, unless both Mike Gesicki and Erick All get left in McLachlan’s dust (which I sincerely doubt). He won’t get enough opportunity to matter, not in 2024 at least.
2024 Fantasy Football Outlook:
It’s very, very bleak.
