Wide Receivers the Bengals Can Draft to Take Over for A.J. Green

The Cincinnati Bengals have relied upon seven-time Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Green to be the big playmaker in their offense for years. However, after Green suffered devastating ankle injury and missed the 2019 season, the Bengals must look ahead to aiding or supplanting the 31-year-old.

With the 2020 NFL Draft stocked with wide receiver prospects, adding a successor to Green would be a good start for a Bengals team that needs more talent to help likely No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow. The Bengals could make that move to start the second round No. 33 overall or the third round at No. 65. Here are three wide receivers that the Bengals could draft.

1. Tee Higgins

Tee Higgins had a breakout year at Clemson in 2019. / Alika Jenner/Getty Images

Tee Higgins has emerged as one of the most polarizing players in the 2020 NFL Draft, with some analysts arguing he's a first-round talent and others being far more conservative. However, the Bengals could take advantage of this by grabbing Higgins in the second or third round. He is coming off a 1,167-yard season at Clemson and has been a touchdown machine in his career. While the questions on his speed in the modern NFL are valid, Higgins' size and athleticism could make up for it in spades.

2. Chase Claypool

Chase Claypool had a very productive career at Notre Dame. / Joe Robbins/Getty Images

If the Bengals are looking to replicate the formula that they used to take A.J. Green, Chase Claypool could be a great fit. Claypool the same height as Green (6-foot-4) and excels with both his catching ability and route-running, like Green. Claypool is not as fast and has a lower ceiling compared to some of his counterparts in the draft, but he has to potential to dominate for Cincinnati in years to come.

3. K.J. Hamler

KJ Hamler game could fit well in the NFL and with the Bengals' offense. / Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

While Penn State product K.J. Hamler hasn't generated much press, his speed and skillset sets him up perfectly in the modern NFL passing game. Hamler projects as an impressive slot receiver—his burst and route-running skills at Penn State were a key part of the Nittany Lions' offense. Hamler wouldn't be a traditional outside receiver like Green, but he should be available in the second or third round for the Bengals to select.

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Tristan Jung is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Tristan Jung also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username tristan1117. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.