Matt LaMarca argued Travis Etienne’s $5,700 salary still bakes in a committee that may no longer exist after Jacksonville dealt away Tank Bigsby. Etienne claimed 57% of designed rushes in Week 1 and erupted for 143 yards on 16 totes versus Carolina. Rookie Bhayshul Tuten is the only meaningful competition, and LaMarca expects Etienne’s stranglehold to tighten if the efficiency continues. He grades as undervalued in SimLabs with significant ceiling for tournaments.

Matt LaMarca advised sticking with Chase Brown in cash games at $6,800, stressing that no other Bengal logged a carry in Week 1 while Brown handled 21 rushes and maintained a 14% target share. Although he mustered only 43 rushing yards against Cleveland, Brown’s 85% snap rate down the 2024 stretch and continued bell-cow usage in what LaMarca calls an "elite Bengals offense" makes his current tag far too low for the touchdown chances that usually accompany Cincinnati drives.

Eric Moody urged fantasy managers to stream Trevor Lawrence, rostered in only 36 % of ESPN leagues, predicting a bounce-back from last week’s 10.3-point dud that was muted by a run-first game script. Cincinnati–Jacksonville carries one of Week 2’s highest implied totals, and Moody expects Doug Pederson to lean on Lawrence’s arm, funnelling targets to Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter. The analyst anticipates significantly more drop-backs and a top-12 QB finish.

Craig Ellenport backed Cincinnati to cover the -3.5 number in their Week 2 home opener against Jacksonville. Ellenport acknowledged every red flag that bettors are citing: the Bengals have dropped three straight home openers and five of their last six, Joe Burrow’s offense managed only 17 points and was scoreless after halftime in Week 1, and the franchise has not started 2-0 since 2018. Even so, he is "still on the Bengals bandwagon," believing the defense that stifled Cleveland will keep Trevor Lawrence in check and that Burrow’s attack will bounce back in front of a home crowd eager to end the streak. The pick leans on historical regression—Ellenport expects the negative opener trend to flip—and the modest 3.5-point spread that only asks Cincinnati to win by more than a field goal.

Bartel joked that he "got Zac Taylor’d again" after another ugly Week 1, but believes Cincinnati’s annual early flop is baked into the market. Calling Jacksonville "a less-talented version of that same conundrum," he expects the Bengals to look competent at home and is comfortable laying –3.5. He paired the side with Over 48.5, reasoning that both mistake-prone offenses are capable of trading big plays once they settle in.

Will Hill grabbed Jaguars +3.5, citing Cincinnati’s habit of slow September starts. He highlighted the Bengals’ woeful Week 1 box score—only seven second-half yards and 141 total yards—and expects another nail-biter between former No. 1 picks Trevor Lawrence and Joe Burrow.

James Boutros backed Trevor Lawrence to eclipse 1.5 passing touchdowns at +102, citing a 49.5 over/under and the expectation that Cincinnati’s offense rebounds, forcing Jacksonville to stay aggressive. Boutros labeled the Bengals’ defense "poor," predicting that Lawrence will push the ball vertically to keep pace. With both clubs likely trading scores, Boutros projects two to three touchdown passes from Lawrence as the most probable outcome.

James Boutros likes Ja'Marr Chase to soar past 87.5 receiving yards (-113) in a game with a 49.5 total. Chase managed only 5 targets, 2 grabs, and 26 yards in Week 1, a stat line Boutros called a classic springboard for elite receivers. Jacksonville’s secondary is far more exploitable than last week’s opponent, and Cincinnati is expected to rebound offensively, forcing additional volume. Boutros expects Joe Burrow to pepper Chase on the boundary and intermediate crossers, calling 100 yards a realistic ceiling in this projected shootout.

Matt Bowen advised laying the 3.5 with Cincinnati. He conceded that Joe Burrow threw for only 113 yards and the Chase-Higgins duo combined for just 59 yards in the narrow Week-1 win over Cleveland, but pointed out that Jacksonville’s perimeter coverages (split-safety and single-high zone) are exactly the looks Burrow has historically diced. Bowen expects Zac Taylor to script answers that get the star receivers loose and believes the Bengals’ defense is sound enough to keep Trevor Lawrence from trading punches. In his view, a cleaner offensive rhythm plus home field makes this a good buy-low number.

DFS Army prefers Chase Brown over De’Von Achan this week, noting Brown handled "almost 100 percent of the work" for Cincinnati yet failed to post a headline score, which should keep ownership depressed. The Bengals are solid home favorites against Jacksonville—exactly the game script DFS Army chases for running backs. With a big carry share, goal-line equity, and a projected positive script, Brown rates as a core play who can leverage the field’s Achan interest while delivering similar or better upside.