If you are a Giovani Bernard owner, than you know how hard it is to play him every week due to his snap count and the continued presence of BenJarvus Green-Ellis. If you started him last night, then you were set to see Bernard's best game of the season against the Dolphins. Bernard had racked up 13 touches, 104 total yards and 2 rushing scores. This also included 4 catches, which made his night even more monstrous.
Unfortunately, Bernard was derailed by a rib injury in the fourth quarter. Luckily the injury happened once owners got the points they needed, but it was still a disappointment since every point counts.
The Bengals have been on a roll this year. At 6-3, they are dominating the NFC North. Only the Ravens are closer, but at a terrible 3-4 record. Needless to say, a weak division is one of the reasons why the Bengals could have one of their best seasons in years.
The defense was playing on all cylinders, but that could change now that Geno Atkins will be lost for the year with an ACL injury. The Bengals put out on of the best defensive line in the NFL before Week 9. The loss of Atkins, clearly the best interior lineman on the team, will be a huge loss to overcome. Also, losing their best secondary man in Leon Hall have given fantasy quarterbacks a step up.
When we talk about Bernard's big night, we have to go the opposite and talk about how bad Andy Dalton looked. A borderline top-10 fantasy quarterback going into Week 9, Dalton failed to throw a touchdown for the first time in 3 games. He did pass for 338 yards, but his 3 interceptions (One that went for a pick-six) and his game-ending safety in overtime eliminated any chance of the Bengals seeing their 7th win of the year. Fortunately, Dalton still helped A.J. Green (11/128) put up a big night, while also helping Marvin Jones (4/66) live up to his waiver wire hype. At least in PPR leagues.
As for Bernard; so far the news sounds positive that his rib injury isn't serious. He was on the sidelines with his pads on, so he might have continued to play if the team needed him. Luckily, he has a week and a half to rest up in order to be prepared for the team's Week 10 game against the Ravens. If he looks good to go, continue to use him as usual.