Bengals beat writer Cole Harvey answered a question about Giovanni Bernard getting too many touches through this point in the season:
Actually, the question reminded of something now OC Hue Jackson (who remember, was Bernard's running backs coach last year) said to a few reporters earlier this week. Asked if he was tentative about drawing up runs into the interior of the line for the smallish Bernard, Jackson was quick to say that Bernard would get mad at him if he ever took those physical carries away. That's the way the coaches would answer the question here.
They aren't worried about him wearing down, and neither is he. That's something he spoke about in the offseason and relayed even then that he had no reservations about being "the" player at running back. Besides, coaches want Bernard to be their bell cow, even if the bigger and younger Jeremy Hill is in the rotation, too.
The design is to try to get Bernard more than 300 touches -- both rushing and receiving -- if possible this season. We've already seen with some of the injuries to receivers and tight ends where his role has expanded in the passing game. So I'd say that mid-20s touches figure might not be so far off. Is it a little higher than I anticipated? Maybe, but not by much.
Still, don't rule out Hill. He's going to help relieve the stresses on Bernard's legs just enough.
It's good news for Bernard owners and falls right in line with what we heard in the offesason - 300-plus touches is very possible for Bernard. Hill is a probably worth owning, especially for Bernard owners, but even as a potential flex or RB3 option in certain matchups for any owner. Bernard and Hill could be in for another big day in Week 3 with the WR injuries, so this could be another one of those matchups...
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