Week 6 vs. Los Angeles Rams
John Ross is a playmaker and could see increased snaps and targets with so many injuries to the other Giants’ wide receivers. That being said, he’s too risky and the quarterback position is shaky with Daniel Jones coming off a concussion and Mike Glennon the backup. Fantasy managers might add Ross speculatively, but he should be nowhere near lineups at this point.
Week 17 vs Cleveland
John Ross had his best performance since coming back from injury with six catches for 84 yards. He also ran the ball twice. Ross played 79% of the snaps which was his highest since he returned.
The Browns are next up and are ranked 10th in aFPA to wide receivers. We expect both teams to play to win this game and starters to play most of the game on both sides of the ball. Ross will get some fantasy numbers but not as good as last week. Keep him on the bench for Week 17.
Week 16 at Miami
John Ross actually played fewer snaps this past Sunday then he did his first game back. We expected this to head in the other direction. He ended up with only two catches for the second straight game.
Miami has been awful against the pass this year, but even with a great matchup, we don't expect Ross to make enough plays to warrant being a starter on your fantasy roster for Week 16. Keep him on the bench.
Week 15 vs New England
John Ross returned to the lineup for the Bengals and as we thought, he was eased into the lineup. He ended up with two catches for 28 yards and played 51% of the snaps on Sunday. Expect those numbers to rise here at the end of the season.
Ross will face the Pats who are second in aFPA to wide receivers. He will see more playing time and remember the numbers he was putting up good numbers before he was hurt, but the tough matchup places him on the bench for Week 15.
Week 14 at Cleveland
John Ross returns to the active roster after missing nine weeks with an injury. Before he got hurt, Ross had 16 catches for 328 yards and three touchdowns. It looked like the former first-round pick was finally breaking through. He will probably be eased back in the offense for now so his fantasy value is low at this time but should raise the last quarter of the season as he gets more snaps.
Week 4 at Pittsburgh
After two 100+ receiving yards games and three touchdown catches, John Ross came back down to earth with a two-catch game for 22 yards and a lost fumble. The Bengals are hoping it's just a hiccup and they will get the play they expected when they drafted Ross in the first round 2017.
The Bengals face the Steelers who are 25th in aFPA to wide receivers. It's a good matchup for Ross who we expect will be better than last week, but maybe not as good as the first two weeks.
Start Ross as a WR3 for Week 4. There is a good chance he will get into the end zone and have four or five catches to give you seem decent numbers as your third receiver,
Week 3 at Buffalo
John Ross' stock is rising as he recorded another 100-yard receiving day. Ross has 11 receptions for 270 yards and three touchdowns through the first two weeks. When A.J. Green returns from injury, the Bengals could have one of the best receiving corps in the NFL.
Ross' numbers might take a hit this week as he faces the Bills who were 5th in aFPA to wide receivers in 2018. He still will be effective, but not enough to be in your starting lineup for Week 3.
Keep Ross on the bench because of the tough matchup, but if he still on the waiver wire, make sure you grab him because he appears to be one of those receivers who figure things out their third season.
Week 2 vs San Francisco
The biggest surprise in the NFL in Week 1 was receiver John Ross. The former first-round pick has struggled the first two seasons of his career, but caught seven passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns - all career highs. In fact, the seven catches now represent 25% of his career receptions.
Ross has a neutral matchup in Week 2 against San Francisco. The big question is was last week a fluke and will opposing defenses now pay more attention to him.
You can consider Ross a low-end WR3 or flex this week. If he is on your waiver wire, he is worth a pickup and could end up being a break out fantasy player.
Week 1 at Seattle
After being out for most of his rookie season, John Ross started 10 games for Cincinnati last season and it can be classified as a disappointing season. He only caught 21 passes and never had more than three receptions in a game. With A.J. Green out to start the season, Ross will be the starter for the time being alongside Tyler Boyd.
Week 1 won't be easy as the Bengals travel to Seattle. The Seahawks were only 19th in aFPA to wide receivers last season, but the defense should be better.
Even though Ross is a starter, he has very little fantasy value as he heads towards bust status. The former first-round pick is not worthy of a roster spot to start the season.
Week 17 at Pittsburgh Steelers
The Bengals were hoping to get a good look at John Ross with AJ Green out and then Tyler Boyd went out as well so Ross was expected to be the main target for Cincy. He has been a disappointment. Ross has only four catches for 20 yards over the last three games.
Ross will face the Steelers who are 11th in aFPA to wide receivers. The output by Ross has been poor and that means he shouldn't be anywhere near your starting lineup for Week 17.
