Is Bengals’ New OC Dan Pitcher a Fantasy Upgrade?
It is time to set our sights on the 2024 NFL fantasy football season. There is no better way to do that now than to concentrate on the changes that will impact our fantasy football decisions. And one of the most important changes is the coordinators.
So, we will begin with the division near and dear to my heart, the AFC North. The AFC North will have three new offensive coordinators. The new coordinators are Dan Pitcher, Cincinnati Bengals; Ken Dorsey, Cleveland Browns; and Arthur Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers. Let’s do this alphabetically and start with Mr. Pitcher.
Embed from Getty ImagesDan Pitcher, Offensive Coordinator
Pitcher has been on the Bengals coaching staff since 2016. He was named quarterback coach in 2020 and held that position until he was named to replace Brian Callahan as offensive coordinator for the beginning of the 2024 season.
The More Things Change, the More They Remain the Same
The Bengals offense is the one offense in the AFC North that we suspect will remain relatively the same. (I mean, the Ravens should be that offense, but will they be the offense that dominated the run during the season, 31.5 rushing attempts per game, or the inept version that rushed the ball 16 times against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Championship round?)
Head coach Zac Taylor’s offensive scheme is intact by promoting Pitcher, albeit with a few changes.
Outgoing Callahan remarked on the Bengals’ offense before his promotion to Tennessee Titans head coach, “I think our screen game was really productive, really the whole second half of the year, and it hadn’t been that productive even last year. So that’s an element that I think helped our offense throughout the second half of the season, that I think should hopefully be a big piece moving forward. But there’s a place for more mix of personnel.”
Two things to remember: one, Callahan is no longer the offensive coordinator in Cincinnati, and two, the Bengals played most of the second half of the season without quarterback Joe Burrow, who suffered his season-ending injury in Week 11.
Bengals Offensive Scheme
In Week 5 last year, the Bengals offense began a shotgun gap scheme run game. Bengals center Ted Karras explained, “We’re a vertical passing team with the quarterback and wide receivers we have. And the offensive linemen that we have come from duo and gap scheme offenses. When you think of the traditional outside zone, under center, power rushing game, that’s not what we signed this offensive line to do.”
The Bengals’ identity rests with their pass-heavy, spread shotgun formations. They are first in pass rate over expected, first in shotgun usage, and second in the usage of 11-personnel. The Bengals have the second-highest percentage of passes going to wide receivers in the league. This year, the Bengals’ wide receivers received 387 targets, second only to the Los Angeles Rams’ wide receivers, who were targeted 398 times.
The Bengals were eighth in passing attempts per game (36.2) while landing 30th in rushing attempts per game (22.5). Joe Mixon dominated the backfield, averaging 15.1 rushing attempts per game. His 75.1% shotgun carry rate was sixth in the league, while his 24.9% under-center carry rate was 67th.
Embed from Getty ImagesCincinnati Bengals 2024
Burrow is expected to be back and 100% healthy at the beginning of the 2024 season.
Tee Higgins is a free agent, and per CBS, if he cannot reach a long-term deal with the Bengals, they will place the franchise tag on him.
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That works in favor of the Bengals’ offense remaining status quo. Before his injury, the Bengals employed a more consistent run game, giving Burrow more opportunities for downfield passes.
In his seven carries in the Ravens game (before Burrow left with the injury), Mixon averaged 6.14 yards per carry. He was successful on 71.4% of his run plays.
Burrow averaged 36.5 passing attempts per game and 230.9 passing yards per game.
With head coach Zac Taylor still calling the offensive plays, Pitcher, the new offensive coordinator in Cincinnati, is in good shape.
AFC North
What offense in the AFC North do you have the most confidence in for your upcoming fantasy football season?
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