I've picked on RB Cedric Benson more than once over the past year -- it's not often you see a professional athlete arrested for Boating While Intoxicated and then pepper-sprayed -- but it seems as though he's found a team that loves him.
He signed with the Bengals last year in mid-season and worked to establish himself as the starter. He did great against bad teams (100+ rush yds against Cleveland, KC and Jacksonville) and did poorly against good teams (<50 rush yds against Philly, Pittsburgh and Baltimore) but part of the blame for that probably should fall on the rest of his team as well.
Either way, the Bengals were happy enough with his performance that they signed him to a two year, $7 million contract extension. Despite his 3.5 yd per carry average and only two touchdowns last season, they have him penciled in as the starting RB.
Eh, I can't figure it out.
The Bengals still have Chris Perry and Kenny Watson on the roster, and they just re-signed DeDe Dorsey so admittedly they don't have much to work with. Even so, Cedric Benson? Really?
If Benson plays the entire season and can get 20 carries a game, he certainly has some value as a fantasy RB. How much is open to debate through. Since T.J. Houshmandzadeh has left, the Bengals passing game is much less scary than it was last season, which won't make Benson's job any easier.
Even without that, I'd be reluctant to bet on him considering his past behavioral issues. The guy seems like an arrest waiting to happen (again). I'm curious to see if the Bengals draft a RB in the later rounds this April -- if so that player should be a immediate sleeper.