Joe Mixon

It was clear early on that the Bengals offense was going to be bad in 2019, and it was Mixon who bore the brunt of those struggles as new coach Zac Taylor focused on his passing game. The third-year back didn't record his first 100-yard rushing game until Week 10 and didn't score his first rushing TD until Week 11. It's arguably a testament to Mixon's talent that his season totals look as palatable as they do given his washout first half. A big, powerful runner with surprising nimbleness, the 6-1, 220-pound Mixon is a prototypical three-down back who adds some value in passing situations while also wearing down defenses with his physicality. Neither Mixon nor Giovani Bernard saw a big increase in receiving usage last year, which was somewhat surprising given Taylor's background working under Sean McVay for the Rams. Cincinnati finished 30th in points and 26th in yards, despite being sixth in pace and ninth in total plays run. Better days should be ahead, though. With No. 1 pick Joe Burrow stepping in at quarterback, A.J. Green returning from an ankle injury and the potential for better offensive line play with last year's first-round pick Jonah Williams healthy, the offense should be more efficient this season, and that improvement is likely to extend to Mixon. There's been some chatter about a potential contract holdout, but Mixon hadn't made an announcement at press time.