Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson indicated this week that he would rather have one running back shoulder a bulk of the load in the backfield. And now, after second-year running back Giovani Bernard announced Jeremy Hill will be the starter, we know what direction Jackson and Co. are heading (via NFL.com).
This all seems a bit abrupt, but Bernard added that he is willing to play in any role necessary to help the Bengals win.
Since Bernard’s return a few weeks ago, the two running backs have been splitting the carries pretty evenly. However, this hasn’t exactly been working out as far as an efficient run game. Hill played extremely well while Bernard missed time. And being a bigger back than his counterpart, Hill has earned that “workhorse” label.
For Bernard, it’s got to hurt just a little that he had to announce his competition has stolen the starting job away.
The one clear thing, at least for fantasy football purposes and daily fantasy contests, is there should be no more guessing as to which running back to start in our lineups. Since it’s playoff time, we can definitely bench Bernard, who will likely just be the change of pace back as the season winds down.
Photo: Yahoo.com