Cincinnati Bengals: Players to watch vs. Browns in Week 12

Taking a look at few important Cincinnati Bengals to watch this week in the team’s matchup against the still-winless Cleveland Browns.

Sitting at 3-6 entering last weekend, it appeared the Cincinnati Bengals’ hopes for the playoffs were essentially finished. Turns out this year isn’t done with them just yet. With a victory over the Denver Broncos, the team now sits at 4-6 — one of a handful of teams just a single game behind the Buffalo Bills in the race for the AFC’s final postseason spot.

This week gives the team a great opportunity to gain a leg up on some of those teams they are tied with: a home game against the still-winless Cleveland Browns.

While the Browns shouldn’t beat this Bengals team, it isn’t as if Cincinnati is a powerhouse; their issues and weaknesses have made practically every game a slog for them regardless of the opposition.

With that in mind, here are a few important players to track in the contest. The success (or failure) of these individuals won’t necessarily mean a win or loss, but their particular impacts should be a good indicator of just how successful Cincinnati is on the afternoon.

3. Ryan Hewitt

In terms of statistical accomplishments, Hewitt hasn’t been a notable player throughout his four year career with the Bengals.

Despite being active for all but one game through his first three seasons, he has rarely done anything when he’s actually made it on the field. His career-highs are 14 targets (2014), 10 catches (2014), and 99 receiving yards (2015). Despite a perpetually-injured Tyler Eifert being around for most of his career (and not-so-great non-Hewitt backup options on board), Hewitt has somehow seen his snaps counts continue to drop with every season.

Hewitt’s impact is not in only his production, however; it is in the versatility he allows just by being an option.

While his usage over the years hasn’t often ended up with him being the player making a play with the ball, it doesn’t mean he’s doing nothing. He is listed as a tight end, but really he’s deployed in numerous ways. He can line up in-line (right outside of an offensive tackle), but he’s also been placed in numerous areas in the backfield (including as the fullback in off-center and I-Formation looks).

He obviously hasn’t been a target too often, but having him as a dumpoff candidate in a play is worthwhile option. He’s shown a decent ability to turn his few pass-catching chances into quality outcomes too: on his 21 career receptions, he’s picked up first downs on 8 of them.

That could prove surprisingly important this week. Even with their win against Denver, this Cincinnati team has been absolutely horrendous at sustaining drives. Cleveland isn’t a stalwart defensive team by any means, but they are better than one might expect (No. 21 in Football Outsiders Defensive DVOA at the time of this writing); there is little reason to think those offensive problems will magically disappear for Cincinnati all at once.

This is where Hewitt comes in. Though he still isn’t getting many snaps, he did set his season high against the Broncos, and it could be a sign of him being at least somewhat more involved going forward.

While he won’t be an explosive threat, his multi-faceted role as a receiver and blocker all around the offensive formation could see him at the center of multiple important plays. He’s shown he can move the chains too — something this team desperately needs if they are going to sustain drives better as this season continues.

He’s not a game-changer by himself, but a player such as Hewitt can really diversify an offense and help bail it out when things inevitably go wrong. Cincinnati just has to actually be willing to use him as the safety valve he could be.