Note: The opinions expressed here are my takes on each player’s individual matchup. As always, use your best judgment and conduct your own research on who to start or bench each week. You know your individual team and/or league situation better than anyone else. Andy Dalton, QB Averaging just 10.20 fantasy points per game over the last four weeks, Dalton is not the best option to lead your team in the fantasy playoffs. He scored just 5.96 fantasy points last week against the St. Louis Rams and has a difficult matchup this week against the Arizona Cardinals. Arizona is allowing just 15.79 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks this season so don’t expect the world from Dalton this week. Cedric Benson, RB Averaging 10.60 fantasy points per game over the last four weeks, Benson continues to be a good option in deeper leagues. He had a strong 14.70 fantasy point game last week against the rams but faces a tougher opponent this week in the Cardinals. Arizona is giving up only 17.20 fantasy points per game to running backs this season, so like Dalton, don’t expect huge numbers this week. A.J. Green, WR Averaging 11.20 fantasy points per game over the last four weeks, Green has been a fantastic rookie surprise this season. He had a solid game last week against the Rams scoring 11.50 fantasy points but his shoulder is a mild concern this week. Arizona is giving up 23.14 fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season so there is some upside. Jerome Simpson, WR Averaging only 4.20 fantasy points per game over the last four weeks, the only upside to Simpson is that he may see more targets this week due to Green’s shoulder and his more difficult one-on-one matchup. However, I still can’t recommend starting Simpson unless you have no better options. Jermaine Gresham, TE Averaging 5.70 fantasy points per game over the last four weeks, Gresham is another player I have a difficult time recommending. He scored only 1.60 fantasy points last week against the Cardinals and does not have the best matchup this week against the Cardinals. Mike Nugent, K Averaging 9.30 fantasy points per game over the last four weeks, Nugent is a solid fantasy kicker to carry in the playoffs. He scored 9.00 fantasy points last week against the Rams and has a very favorable matchup this week against the Cardinals. Arizona is giving up 9.85 fantasy points per game to kickers this season so expect a similar performance this week. Defense Averaging 6.30 fantasy points per game over the last four weeks, the Cincinnati Bengals’ team defense would be considered below average at best. They do however have a very favorable matchup this week against the Cardinals who are allowing 9.77 fantasy points per game to team defense. It is a risky start, but the upside is there. Sources: All data provided by Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Football Paul Rados is an avid fantasy football participant and a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @PSRados or leave him a message on Facebook . For a complete look at his freelance work please visit his Blog . Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

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The Brown Family is about to purchase the 30% of the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals they do not own for $200 million from the Knowlton estate. Austin Knowlton, a founder of the team, died in 2003. Image by Getty Images via @daylife Minority stakes of this size typically sell at 15% discounts because limited partners have little to say about how the team is run. Assuming that 15% discount, and the team’s $100 million of debt, the deal gives the Bengals an enterprise value of around $870 million. We valued the Bengals, which are run by team president Mike Brown, at $875 million recently, 25th out of the league’s 32 teams. Despite their dismal play on the gridiron in recent years, the Bengals are highly profitable because of the very favorable lease they have at Paul Brown Stadium. The Brown family is paying cash for the stake and the deal is expected to be finalized next week. The profitability of the Bengals should increase even further due to the NFL’s new collective bargaining agreement, and the new television deals the league has recently struck with ESPN and the broadcast networks.

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Read More: Josh Brown (K – STL), Bernard Scott (RB – CIN), Cincinnati Bengals, St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are hosting the Cincinnati Bengals at home on Sunday, but a field goal early in the third quarter and a touchdown in its final minute have helped to put Cincinnati up 13-6 going into the fourth quarter.  It’s been a bit of a back and forth game between the Cincinnati Bengals and St. Louis Rams so far, with the teams trading leads after each quarter. The Bengals led 3-0 after the first quarter, the Rams came back to take a 6-3 lead into halftime, and now the Bengals are once again leading as the two teams go into the fourth quarter.   The Bengals tied the game at 6-6 early in the third quarter on a Josh Brown field goal. After trading scoreless drives, a monster punt return helped to put the Bengals in a position to score the game’s first touchdown. Bernard Scott scored the touchdown for Cincinnati, his second touchdown of the season, with just 17 seconds left in the third quarter. Stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis for more information, and for in-depth analysis on the St. Louis Rams be sure to visit Turf Show Times. For more on the Cincinnati Bengals, check out Cincy Jungle. Visit SB Nation NFL for more news and notes around the league.

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Read More: Cedric Benson (RB – CIN), Andre Caldwell (WR – CIN), Otis Hudson (G – CIN), Robert Sands (S – CIN), Cincinnati Bengals, St. Louis Rams Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andre Caldwell has been ruled out for Week 15 vs. the St. Louis Rams, but the team is calling it a “coach’s decision” unrelated to any injury. Caldwell is fourth on the team in catches and yards— with 37 and 317, respectively— and tied for third on the team in receiving touchdowns. The good news for the Bengals is that RB Cedric Benson will start on Sunday after being listed as probable earlier in the week. Here is the full ianctive list for the Bengals in Week 15: WR Andre Caldwell G Otis Hudson RB Brian Leonard LB Dontay Moch FB Chris Pressley S Robert Sands OT Andre Smith Stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis for more information, and for in-depth analysis on the St. Louis Rams be sure to visit Turf Show Times. For more on the Cincinnati Bengals, check out Cincy Jungle. Visit SB Nation NFL for more news and notes around the league.

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Read More: Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams are completely out of the playoff picture at 2-11, but they can still make their presence known by playing spoiler against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 15. As it turns out, the eight-man panel of experts at ESPN doesn’t see an upset happening. They have unanimously picked the Bengals to win on Sunday, which does fit well into established patterns this season. The Rams have been downright awful most weeks, while the Bengals have feasted upon sub-.500 teams to build their season. Here is how the panel feels about the other NFC West teams:     Stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis for more information, and for in-depth analysis on the St. Louis Rams be sure to visit Turf Show Times. For more on the Cincinnati Bengals, check out Cincy Jungle. Visit SB Nation NFL for more news and notes around the league.

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In week 14, I posted a 3-1 mark with my picks for the AFC South Division. I correctly predicted that both the Indianapolis Colts and the Tennessee Titans would lose their games while the Houston Texans would beat the Cincinnati Bengals. It would have been a perfect week if not for the Jaguars pummeling the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 41-14. However three out of four is still respectable and I’m hoping to duplicate my success with the games for week 15. Houston Texans vs. Carolina Panthers: Last week, the Texans clinched their first playoff berth in team history with a 20-19 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Despite the rash of injuries during the season, the Texans have continued to roll. Rookie quarterback T.J. Yates played well last week, throwing for 300 yards along with two touchdowns. While Arian Foster (15 carries, 41 yards) and Ben Tate (8 carries, 67 yards) did not have great games last week, they did just enough to complement the passing game. The Texans have also been playing pretty good defense this season and I think they will do a good job of containing both Cam Newton and Steve Smith. With that being said, I am picking the Texans to notch their 11th victory of the season. Tennessee Titans vs. Indianapolis Colts: Both teams are coming off losses in week 14. The Titans played the New Orleans Saints close before falling 22-17 while the Colts extended their losing streak to 13 games with a 24-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The Colts’ 0-13 record is the primary reason why I’m picking the Titans this week. The second reason is because of the play of quarterback Jake Locker. He picked up the offensive slack last week throwing for 282 yards and a touchdown, while Chris Johnson rushed for only 23 yards on 11 carries. While the Colts have been competitive in a few of their games this year, their overall play on defense has been pretty bad. Based on that premise, the Titans’ quarterbacks should have a good game regardless of who plays and Johnson should bounce back this week as well. Please note – this article was written following the Jacksonville Jaguars’ loss to the Atlanta Falcons, which is why this game was not included. James Tillman is a resident of the Chicago-land area who has been an NFL fan for over 20 years. James is also a fan blogger on Yahoo Sports and NJFFL Dynasty. For interesting discussions about the NFL, NBA and MLB, follow him on Twitter @jtillman9693. Sources: Week 15 Picks and Predictions NFL Scores and Schedules Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

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Read More: Chris Crocker (S – CIN), Nate Clements (CB – CIN), Manny Lawson (LB – CIN), Gibril Wilson (S – CIN), Frostee Rucker (DE – CIN), Cedric Benson (RB – CIN), Brian Leonard (RB – CIN), Andre Smith (OT – CIN), Chris Pressley (FB – CIN), Carlos Dunlap (DE – CIN), Dontay Moch (LB – CIN), Cincinnati Bengals, St. Louis Rams Cincinnati Bengals running back Cedric Benson had to miss practice on Wednesday with a back injury but was able to return on a limited basis Thursday, which is good news for the team heading into Sunday’s game against St. Louis. The full Cincinnati injury report is available here. But five players were unable to practice on Thursday, including offensive tackle Andre Smith, cornerback Nate Clements, linebacker Dontay Moch, fullback Chris Pressley and running back Brian Leonard. Smith, Clements and Pressley are first string players. Safety Chris Crocker, linebacker Manny Lawson, defensive end Carlos Dunlap, defensive end Frostee Rucker and safety Gibril Wilson also were limited. Crocker, Lawson and Wilson returned after missing practice on Wednesday. Stay tuned to   SB Nation St. Louis  for more information, and for in-depth analysis on the St. Louis Rams be sure to visit  Turf Show Times.  For more on the Cincinnati Bengals, check out  Cincy Jungle . Visit   SB Nation NFL   for more news and notes around the league.

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Read More: Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams CBS Sports’ panel of five experts has released their picks for Week 15 in the NFL, and it should not come as a surprise that all five men have selected the Cincinnati Bengals to knock off the St. Louis Rams on Sunday. The Bengals have been strong against teams under .500 this year, and of course the Rams are sitting all the way down at 2-11. So it’s not good news for the Rams, but what about the rest of the NFC West? Stay tuned to   SB Nation St. Louis  for more information, and for in-depth analysis on the St. Louis Rams be sure to visit  Turf Show Times.  For more on the Cincinnati Bengals, check out  Cincy Jungle . Visit   SB Nation NFL   for more news and notes around the league.

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The Cincinnati Bengals’ playoff hopes steadily dimmed during a stretch in which they faced some of the AFC’s top teams. While they’ll take on two sub-.500 opponents over their final three games, the Bengals’ only break would appear to come Sunday when they visit the woeful St. Louis Rams. A run of five consecutive wins – four against teams which currently have losing records – gave Cincinnati a share of the AFC North lead in early November. That success, however, might seem like a distant memory as the Bengals have since dropped four of five. All four of those defeats – two to Pittsburgh and one apiece to Baltimore and Houston – came to teams which now share the AFC’s best record at 10-3. Last week’s defeat to the Texans had to be the most heartbreaking and also eliminated Cincinnati (7-6) from the division title chase. The Bengals gave up a touchdown pass to third-string quarterback T.J. Yates with two seconds left to lose 20-19. Cincinnati, which led 16-3 in the third quarter and was up nine with less than six minutes to play, remains one game behind the New York Jets for the AFC’s final playoff berth. “We’re by no means out of anything,” said right guard Bobbie Williams, who broke his ankle last Sunday and is out for the season. “Our chances are a little tougher, but we can still finish up these last three with a very successful record. Then hey, let the chips fall where they may after that.” The Bengals play their final road game Sunday before returning home to face Arizona, which is 6-7 but has won three straight and five of six, and a Ravens team which has won four in a row. That makes this game all the more crucial to Cincinnati’s playoff chances. The Bengals have only one touchdown in each of their two games this month – Andy Dalton has combined to go just 27 of 52 for 324 yards – but they’re facing a Rams team averaging a league-worst 11.8 points. St. Louis (2-11) has been outscored 103-40 during its current four-game skid, and its only TD in Monday’s 30-13 loss at Seattle came with 4:39 to play on Steven Jackson’s 1-yard run. It took the Rams six plays to get that yard. “There are a lot of things we have to overcome, but we’ve got to overcome them,” coach Steve Spagnuolo said. “We’re not going to use any excuses. We’ve got to find a way to win.” St. Louis also must find a way to stop the run, ranking last in the NFL with 156.8 rushing yards allowed per contest. Facing that defense might help Cedric Benson rebound from a miserable final 30 minutes against Houston. He finished with 91 yards on 21 carries but had minus-1 on eight attempts in the second half. “We look forward to being able to run the ball on them consistently,” said Benson, 117 yards shy of reaching 1,000 for the third straight season. “We still have a challenge ahead of us, but I think we can do some positive things in the run game.” While the loss of Williams could hamper Benson, the return of right tackle Andre Smith from an ailing ankle would help. Smith, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2009 draft, sat out last week’s loss. The Rams, meanwhile, continue to have problems staying healthy on offense. Guard Jacob Bell joined tackles Rodger Saffold and Jason Smith on injured reserve before last week’s game, and tackle Mark LeVoir (groin) might also be unavailable during the short week of preparation. Quarterback Sam Bradford has been dealing with a sprained left ankle and didn’t seem optimistic about playing this week. If he sits out, Kellen Clemens would likely start even though he didn’t sign with the Rams until last week. Backup A.J. Feeley remains out with a broken thumb. Whoever starts at quarterback will be trying to keep Cincinnati winless in St. Louis. The Bengals have lost to the Rams there twice, in 1996 and 2003, and to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1985. Cincinnati snapped a three-game skid to the Rams during the previous matchup in 2007.

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CINCINNATI (AP) — Tests found that Cincinnati Bengals guard Bobbie Williams broke his right ankle during a 20-19 loss to Houston on Sunday, leaving him out for the rest of the season. The Bengals put Williams on the injured reserve list Monday. They promoted guard Otis Hudson from the practice squad. Hudson was a fifth-round pick last year. Williams’ injury leaves the Bengals without two starters on the right side of their offensive line. Right tackle Andre Smith missed the game on Sunday with an injured left ankle. Williams, a 12th-year veteran, has been the Bengals’ starting right guard since 2004. He was suspended for the first four games this season for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. He said he took an over-the-counter diuretic that’s banned. Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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CINCINNATI — Tests found that Cincinnati Bengals guard Bobbie Williams broke his right ankle during a 20-19 loss to Houston on Sunday, leaving him out for the rest of the season. The Bengals put Williams on the injured reserve list Monday. They promoted guard Otis Hudson from the practice squad. Hudson was a fifth-round pick last year. Williams’ injury leaves the Bengals without two starters on the right side of their offensive line. Right tackle Andre Smith missed the game on Sunday with an injured left ankle. Williams, a 12th-year veteran, has been the Bengals’ starting right guard since 2004. He was suspended for the first four games this season for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. He said he took an over-the-counter diuretic that’s banned.

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CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Bengals guard Bobbie Williams will miss the rest of the season after breaking his right ankle over the weekend. The Bengals put Williams on the injured reserve list Monday, a day after he suffered the injury in a 20-19 loss to Houston. Cincinnati promoted guard Otis Hudson from the practice squad. Hudson was a fifth-round pick last year. Williams’ injury leaves the Bengals without two starters on the right side of their offensive line. Right tackle Andre Smith missed the game against the Texans with an injured left ankle. Williams, a 12th-year veteran, has been the Bengals’ starting right guard since 2004. He was suspended for the first four games this season for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. He said he took an over-the-counter diuretic that’s banned.

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A reminder for anyone going to Sunday’s game and wishing to donate to this year’s Toys for Tots campaign… Cincinnati Bengals Kick Off The 2011 Annual Toys for Tots Holiday Collection The Cincinnati Bengals and the United States Marine Corps Reserves are teaming up again for the Annual Toys for Tots Collection on Sunday, December 11th before the Bengals/Houston Texans game at Paul Brown Stadium.  U.S. Marine Corps Reserves will be at all entrances to Paul Brown Stadium with Mobile Storage Depot Containers to collect new, unwrapped toys and cash donations.  All contributions benefit the less fortunate children in our community. The Cincinnati Bengals have hosted this event for over 25 years and Bengals fans are always generous. More than 48,000 children in the Tri-State area will benefit from the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots Collection. Every contribution makes a huge difference.  We hope every Bengals fan will support this years Toys for Tots collection by bringing a new unwrapped toy or cash donation to the Bengals/ Houston Texans game on Sunday, December 11. For more information, please contact Toys for Tots Campaign Coordinator Marine Corps Sgt. Jonathan Briick Phone: 221-2370  ext. 311 Posted in: Updates

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The Bengals are working hard to get ready for their big game against the Texans this Sunday. But players continue to find time to give back to the community. Tight end Chase Coffman from the practice squad was at Rothenberg Elementary in Over-The-Rhine this morning. It’s part of the “Learning Is Cool” program to promote student achievement. Coffman talked about how he liked math in school. He also told kids that even as a Bengal he still has to study hard – learning the playbook. Local 12′s Bob Herzog and Jen Dalton co-hosted the event.

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