Tyler Boyd named Bengals most underappreciated player

Tyler Boyd was named the Bengals most underappreciated player

Tyler Boyd has emerged as one of the premiere slot wide receivers in the NFL. 

He's the sixth player in Bengals history to post back-to-back 1,000 yard receiving seasons. Boyd has 12 touchdowns over that span. He's arguably the best slot receiver in the AFC North. 

Despite Boyd's emergence, some think he's still underappreciated. NFL Network analytics expert Cynthia Frelund says Boyd deserves for recognition for his performance over the past few years.

"There weren't many bright spots in the Bengals' offense last season (Joe Mixon was one of the few), but it seems Boyd isn't getting the respect he deserves," Frelund wrote. "He ranked sixth in the NFL last season with 661 receiving yards from the slot, per Next Gen Stats. When you add in the context of Cincinnati's extremely subpar offensive line and A.J. Green's season-long absence, Boyd's impact starts to come into focus. For rookie QB Joe Burrow, Boyd's on- and off-ball impact will be a key in the passing game."

In 2019, Boyd became the fifth player in Bengals history to finish with 90 receptions. 

He's been a beacon of consistency for Cincinnati, despite playing with Andy Dalton, Jeff Driskel and Ryan Finley at quarterback. Injuries to A.J. Green and John Ross have allowed defenses to focus on stopping Boyd. 

The Bengals signed Boyd to a four-year, $43 million extension prior to last season. The 25-year-old was a second-round pick out of Pittsburgh in 2016.

Boyd is excited about the addition of Burrow. He thinks the Bengals can shock people this season.