With Keith Rivers under contract, the Bengals have a chance, a chance mind you of putting together a decent season.

And I think the offense's success will depend on how well the defense plays. Continually putting pressure on the offense to score touchdowns is not the way to go in the NFL.

That being said, the offense is in good shape as the preseason gets underway.

Carson Palmer remains the stalwart at quarterback with Ryan Fitzpatrick backing him up. Jeff Rowe is the third guy but cross your fingers that he doesn't get in.

The running back situation is the key to success of this team. With a steady runner, the offense clicks like no other. Without a solid running game, the offense has potential but struggles to be consistent. Rudi Johnson has reshaped his body and is looking in practice at least like the Rudi of old. That would be such as boon for this team. I will believe it when I see it. Rudi has logged many touches and many tackles over the years and I'm not convinced he's able to post great numbers getting the ball 25 times a game. He needs a solid backup and more like 15-18 touches early on. As the season wears on, you need him to be consistent so don't waste him early. The backup is likely to be Chris Perry who gives this offense a dimension it hasn't had since well Chris Perry. Perry was a third down specialist when the Bengals went to the playoffs and has a burst that Rudi doesn't have. If he stays healthy, things will work. In fact, he could be the guy to supplant Rudi if he goes down. Beyond those guys, Kenny Watson can fill in but he's hurt. DeDe Dorsey has a burst like Perry but he's hurting. Watson and Dorsey aren't practicing so keep an eye on them as the games unfold. James Johnson, a rookie out of Kansas State, has draw rave reviews in practice so he's a sleeper pick here to be in the mix.

At fullback Daniel Coats is going to be the guy. A converted tight end, Coats can catch and is a good blocker. Jeremi Johnson has been the starter but is overweight and can't be counted on. Coats isn't likely to be a great fantasy pickup because the offense Bob Bratkowski runs doesn't utilize the fullback much.

At receiver, Chad and Housh are the clear cut top guys but after that things are a bit muddled. Antonio Chatman and Marcus Maxwell have taken the lead for the third spot at different times but nothing is certain yet. Andre Caldwell and Jerome Simpson the draft picks are going to be given a chance but rookies don't generally find a rhythm as a wide out until a couple years down the road. Caldwell is ahead of Simpson for now so he's the likely fifth guy, maybe four if he progresses fast enough.

The tight end excitement stems from Ben Utecht's signing in the offseason but again Bratkowski hasn't been known to go to the tight end. Will that change? Well, Utecht could be a major sleeper if used right in this offense. He won't go deep like a Chris Henry but is the most reliable pass catcher behind Chad and Housh. He's my target to back Antonio Gates in my lineup and even start if Gates foot doesn't get well quickly.

Shayne Graham is a stud kicker if this offense is right. He's worthy being a top five kicker in any league.

The defense as always is a mixed bag. Will the talent rise to the top? Or will it be bad again. Rivers gives the linebackers a good look and with a decent effort by the front guys, Mike Zimmer's defense could be really good from a fantasy standpoint. I mean, a couple years ago this team was a bunch of ballhawks but still had trouble stopping people. Despite that, they were a decent fantasy play. I think it will be a little like that but the defense will stop people this year a little more than in years past.