Joe Flacco Traded to Cincinnati Bengals: Is it an Upgrade for Fantasy Football?

In today's Fantasy Life Newsletter, presented by Hall of Excellence:

The Cincinnati Bengals—fresh off their third straight loss—are finally done with Jake Browning.

In a last-ditch effort to turn things around, they sent a 2026 fifth-round pick to the Bengals in exchange for 2023 Comeback Player of the Year Joe Flacco.

If I were being cynical, I would say this is akin to shuffling the deck chairs around on the Titanic. They upgraded from the worst player in EPA per dropback to the second-worst player in EPA per dropback.

To make matters worse, Flacco’s first task will be heading to Lambeau Field to play one of the toughest defenses in football.

But I’m trying to be more of an optimist here …

Browning was the worst QB in football, throwing the ball to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

Joe Flacco was the second-worst QB in football, throwing to Jerry Jeudy (tied for third in the league in drops) and Isaiah Bond.

We know Chase can produce with anyone (he did, in fact, just go for 6-110-2 vs. the Lions), but the real enthusiasm here should be for Higgins and Chase Brown, who both were completely unplayable in the Browning version of the offense.

In our early Week 5 ranks, here is where Freedman and Ian currently have the trio ranked:

Chase (WR4) > high-end WR1
Higgins (WR34) > solid WR3
Brown (RB25) > low-end RB2

In all likelihood, this ends up being a mostly lateral move. But it truly couldn’t have gotten any worse and this entire trio is at least startable now—especially with the bye weeks hitting.

Also, let’s not forget, Flacco is 1-0 this year vs. the Packers. QBWINZ, baby …

A DEEPER LOOK AT THE WEEK 6 RANKINGS …

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Editors’ Picks

Week 6 is here. It’s time to get right (or stay right). Start by making sure you catch up on some of the latest and greatest content that you may have missed on FantasyLife.com.

Guillotine Leagues™ ROS Rankings

Does Jaylen Waddle’s first game as Miami’s WR1 give confidence in his rest-of-season value? Geoff Ulrich goes through the Guillotine Leagues rankings, including raising up a former QB1.

Guillotine Leagues™ Bidding

One bad game and it’s see ya later … just ask James Cook, one of Week 5’s most chopped players. How should you bid on him ahead of Week 6? Let’s dive in.

Week 6 Utilization Report

Bill Croskey-Merritt broke loose in Week 5, but is it sustainable? Dwain McFarland breaks down the outlook for Bill and more.

Freedman’s Favorite RBs: Rico Dowdle Revenge Game

What does Rico Dowdle do to follow up his massive 206-yard rushing game subbing in for Chuba Hubbard? How about a little “revenge” against the Cowboys? After all, they didn’t re-sign him after he rushed for 1,079 yards as the lead back in Dallas last year. Payback time!

Matthew Freedman highlights that matchup as well as several others in the RB edition of “Freedman’s Favorites.” The four articles highlight the best fantasy plays at each of the skill positions in Week 6, with Dowdle’s facing his former team being one of the prime plays. Here are the other positions:

REPEAT PERFORMANCE FOR LAST WEEK’S RB1?

Isaiah Bond Headlines Trade Targets For Your Dynasty Leagues …

It's been a turbulent year for Isaiah Bond and dynasty managers who had their eyes on the talented prospect from Texas. Despite a tantalizing athletic profile (4.43-second 40 speed), off-the-field issues ultimately led to him being undrafted before he was picked up by the Browns.

Bond's gotten on the field and has steadily seen his usage increase since Week 1. However, his biggest opportunity came in Week 5, which saw a change in two important variables:

First, ahead of this past weekend, Joe Flacco was benched (and subsequently traded) in favor of Dillon Gabriel. That move alone bumped up the expectation for all pass catchers.

Second, fellow wideout Cedric Tillman (hamstring) was placed on IR, which means he'll miss Weeks 5-8 at minimum.

Bond didn't pop in the final boxscore, but his eight targets led all WRs by a solid margin (Jerry Jeudy had four) and were second only to David Njoku (nine) in team targets. Both of the passing TDs went to the TE position, but it was encouraging for Bond to post a 24% target share in Gabriel's first start.

It can sometimes be tough to separate the off-the-field issues from a player's on-field profile and production. Bond has the makings of a solid NFL talent (and fantasy contributor), and he's not going to cost you much to acquire. Gabriel has likely earned himself a few more weeks of the QB1 job after not turning the ball over and keeping Cleveland in the game until the final drive.

Everyone could use some added firepower in the back end of their lineup. Bond offers that upside as he continues to expand his role within this offense. Target him before his price rises.

THREE MORE TRADE TARGETS TO CONSIDER