The Bengals might need to run more in 2008. Coach Marvin Lewis has said he wants to rely less on the passing game and more on the ground attack, reports the Cincinnati Enquirer. The Bengals had just four wide receivers - Antonio Chatman, Doug Gabriel, Glenn Holt and Marcus Maxwell - on the field at Tuesday's minicamp. Rookie players, including second- and third-round picks Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell - can't report for offseason practices until Friday. The Bengals will have two more practices without the rookies but a total of nine more beginning next week and continuing at a pace of three a week until June. Starters Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh did not attend the voluntary practice Tuesday. Johnson said he will not report, though he has four years remaining on his contract. Houshmandzadeh is doing his offseason training at home in California, which he did a year ago. "We're definitely missing valuable time," QB Carson Palmer said. "We'll get to work whenever they get here. ... The guys who are here are getting valuable experience." (Updated 05/14/2008).
Injury Report
No information available at this time (Updated 5/17/08).
Fantasy Analysis
As expected, Johnson and Houshmandzadeh will remain absent, possibly until or including training camp. That will hurt Palmer heading into 2008, although not much. Still consider Palmer a No. 1 Fantasy option and one of the top quarterbacks this season. Housmandzadeh is a No. 1 WR, especially heading into a contract year. Johnson has slipped to a No. 2 option and could continue to slide if he is serious about being a holdout. (Updated 05/14/2008).
No information available at this time.
No information available at this time.
The Bengals might need to run more in 2008. Coach Marvin Lewis has said he wants to rely less on the passing game and more on the ground attack, reports the Cincinnati Enquirer. The Bengals had just four wide receivers - Antonio Chatman, Doug Gabriel, Glenn Holt and Marcus Maxwell - on the field at Tuesday's minicamp. Rookie players, including second- and third-round picks Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell - can't report for offseason practices until Friday. The Bengals will have two more practices without the rookies but a total of nine more beginning next week and continuing at a pace of three a week until June. Starters Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh did not attend the voluntary practice Tuesday. Johnson said he will not report, though he has four years remaining on his contract. Houshmandzadeh is doing his offseason training at home in California, which he did a year ago. "We're definitely missing valuable time," QB Carson Palmer said. "We'll get to work whenever they get here. ... The guys who are here are getting valuable experience." (Updated 05/14/2008).
Injury Report
No information available at this time (Updated 5/17/08).
Fantasy Analysis
As expected, Johnson and Houshmandzadeh will remain absent, possibly until or including training camp. That will hurt Palmer heading into 2008, although not much. Still consider Palmer a No. 1 Fantasy option and one of the top quarterbacks this season. Housmandzadeh is a No. 1 WR, especially heading into a contract year. Johnson has slipped to a No. 2 option and could continue to slide if he is serious about being a holdout. (Updated 05/14/2008).
