AJ Green’s Impact on Tyler Boyd in Fantasy Football for 2020

Will Tyler Boyd's fantasy value drop with a healthy AJ Green back in 2020.

Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd has quietly put together back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons and in 2019 he caught a career high 90 passes. But the Bengals true No.1 wide receiver, AJ Green, didn’t play a single snap in 2019 and missed a handful of games in 2018, leading some to believe Boyd is only productive with Green out of action. The “AJ Green Effect” is causing a major fluctuation in where Boyd is getting being selected in fantasy football drafts. Sports Illustrated’s fantasy football analyst Frank Taddeo and AllBengals editor James Rapien weigh in on where fantasy players should confidently draft Boyd for the upcoming 2020 season.Read the transcript from the above video for more analysis.

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Read Full Transcript Below:

Bill Enright: Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd finishes the number 18 playmaker in PPR formats in 2019, but what is he going to do in 2020? Currently, he's coming off the board as a number twenty nine wide receiver. Is he a wide receiver three or is he a wide receiver two? Let's find out what AllBengals editor, James Rapien, fantasy sports analyst from Sports Illustrated, Frank Taddeo, have to say about Mr. Boyd. James, I'll go to you first. Now that Joe Borrow is under center, AJ Green expected to come back healthy. What are you expecting out Boy this year?

James Rapien: I expect them to be exactly what he's been in each of the past two seasons, which is the most reliable wide receiver in this Bengals offense. He's played in 30 of a possible 32 games over the past two years had back to back one thousand yard seasons and had 90 receptions last year, just the fifth Bengal in team history to reach that mark. So I expect him to stay healthy. I think he's going to be a high-end player, especially in PPR formats, and he can be a security blanket for rookie quarterback Joe Burrow. So even though there's a new quarterback in town with Joe Berl, I think Tyler Boyd's fantasy value is steady. Like it has been in each of the past couple of years.

Bill Enright: All right, Frank, let's play a little game of draft or pass, Tyler Boyd, for some reason he's actually going earlier in standard leagues despite finishing better in PPR formats than he did in twenty nineteen. Are you drafting or passing on Boyd as, let's say, ADP number twenty nine at the wide receiver position?

Frank Taddeo: For me right now, Bill, I think it's a strong pass, and I actually I actually believe it's a real strong pass. I'm not so sure that what really to expect here. I mean, obviously, for me, I'm worried about the regression and I'm really worried about the regression because of the you know, obviously with AJ Green being back and you've got a rookie signal caller under under center and also Tee Higgins is going to be added to the mix. Now, maybe I'm a little bit too over pessimistic about his overall potential. And that would be because I'm not really so sure, maybe maybe the coronavirus and the ability to practice hurts Tee Higgins to assimilate into this offense. And if that's the case, then maybe I need to bring my projections up. But for me, I'm not so sure that it gets back to 90 receptions again this year with AJ Green becoming the focal point. Obviously, once again of that offense and Joe Mixon becoming more of an outlet for a rookie quarterback and often look to check down when they feel pressure. So for me, it's actually a pass for me at that number. I do find value in him. If I can get him a little bit later, maybe he'll be ignored in some weeks. And I'm hoping that's the case. And if that's the case, Bill, at a later number at a late ADP, then I'm all in on Boyd. But for me, I see regression and regression makes me hesitate and that's why I look to pass right now.

Bill Enright: Great analysis. Frank and James, thank you for your insight. We are playing this game of draft or pass with a lot of the NFL top fantasy football playmakers. You can find more of it by going to si.com/fantasy.