Backed by front office

Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin suggested Dalton (thumb) will enter 2019 as the team's starting quarterback, Fletcher Page of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports. "We're very comfortable with Andy," Tobin said. "We think he's got a number of years left. We feel like we can win with him. But with any position group, we don't just throw away the whole draft board at a group just because we're satisfied with who we have."

Analysis: An overhaul of the coaching staff has led to rumors of a possible change under center, but it's probably an easy decision to keep Dalton given that he has two seasons remaining on a team-friendly contract. This doesn't mean the Bengals won't explore options for a long-term upgrade, but it does mean there's an excellent chance Dalton will get the Week 1 start in 2019. Of course, he may not feel so great about the contract situation, with no guaranteed money remaining on his deal and a 2019 cap…read more

Surgery goes as planned

Dalton underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb and said he expects to be ready to go for the Bengals' offseason program, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Analysis: The Bengals placed Dalton on injured reserve Monday, ending his season after 11 games. The 31-year-old completed 61.9 percent of his throws for 21 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and 7.0 yards per attempt, figures that all ranked in the middle to back end among all qualified passers. Jeff Driskel will step in as the Bengals' starting quarterback for the remainder of the campaign, but Dalton, who is under contract through the 2020 season, should reclaim the top spot on the depth chart once healthy…read more

Full recovery on tap

Coach Marvin Lewis relayed Monday that the Bengals' medical staff expects Dalton to fully recover from his thumb injury in advance of the 2019 season, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Analysis: Lewis' announcement came shortly after the Bengals placed Dalton on injured reserve, ending his season. With Dalton sidelined, Jeff Driskel will take over as the team's starting quarterback and by the time next season rolls around, Dalton's team context will no doubt have undergone some changes. While the Bengals have yet to specify the nature of Dalton's injury, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network indicates that the 31-year-old suffered torn ligaments in his thumb. It's not known at this time if…read more

Ruled out for rest of 2018

Dalton (thumb) was placed on injured reserve Monday.

Analysis: The tests Dalton underwent Monday apparently revealed a major issue with his right thumb, prompting the Bengals to move him to IR at a juncture of the season in which he won't be eligible to return. Jeff Driskel is left as the team's top quarterback, with Cincinnati scooping Tom Savage off waivers from the 49ers to provide depth. Dalton doesn't exactly elevate the players around him, but his absence is still a major blow to every other piece of the Cincinnati offense, including running back Joe…read more

Needs more tests on thumb

Coach Marvin Lewis said Monday that Dalton still needs more tests to determine the severity of the thumb injury he suffered in Sunday's 35-20 loss to the Browns, Marisa Contipelli of the Bengals' official site reports.

Analysis: While it isn't a great sign when extensive testing is required for a diagnosis, there's no need to jump to conclusions in the immediate aftermath of Dalton's departure from the Week 12 loss. The 31-year-old injured his right thumb in the third quarter of the contest, allowing Jeff Driskell to finish out the game as Cincinnati tried to erase a 28-point deficit. Driskell orchestrated a pair of touchdown drives, but the Bengals surely will want Dalton back under center with the final wild-card…read more

Set for tests on thumb

Dalton is slated to undergo further testing on his right thumb, Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com reports.

Analysis: Following Sunday's 35-20 loss to the Browns, coach Marvin Lewis indicated that the initial belief is that Dalton's thumb injury is not serious. That said, it's still too early to know if the QB's status for next weekend's game against the Broncos is in any danger. If Dalton is forced to miss any time, Jeff Driskel would be in line to handle the Bengals' first-team QB reps.

Won't finish Sunday's game

Dalton has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Browns with a right thumb injury.

Analysis: Jeff Driskel will finish up Sunday's game in relief of Dalton, who completed 10 of 17 passes for 100 yards, to go along with a TD and a pick as well as two carries for 21 yards. If Dalton's injury threatens his Week 13 availability, the Bengals could add QB depth via the free agent route or they could promote Connor Cook from the team's practice squad.

Injures right thumb

Dalton injured his right thumb trying to recover a fumble on a bad snap in the third quarter Sunday against the Browns.

Analysis: Dalton immediately went to the locker room to get the thumb examined after the play, which resulted in a turnover and subsequent Browns touchdown. Jeff Driskell is in line to replace him should he miss time.

Connects for two scores

Dalton completed 19 of 36 passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns during Sunday's 24-21 loss to Baltimore. He added a team-leading 29 yards on two carries.

Analysis: Life without A.J. Green (foot) looked a little better on Sunday, as Dalton appeared to have improved chemistry with his other targets. That included John Ross, with whom he hooked up for a 22-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter, putting Cincy up by eight. It was the second time the two hooked up for a score in as many weeks. Still, it's obvious that the loss of Green temporarily hurts Dalton's value. Dalton has completed just 55.3% of his passes over the past two weeks, as compared…read more

Tosses two picks in loss

Dalton completed 12 of 20 passes for 153 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions during Sunday's 51-14 loss to the Saints. He added an eight-yard run during the contest.

Analysis: With A.J. Green (foot) out of the lineup, Cincinnati turned to the likes of 2017 first-round pick John Ross. Things went smoothly early on, as he and Dalton connecting for two-yard score in the closing moments of the first quarter to tie up the game. It was downhill from there, as sans his longtime favorite targets like Green and Tyler Eifert (ankle), Dalton and the Bengals' offense stalled. Don't read too much into the interceptions, as one was tipped at the line and the other was a toss to…read more

Multi-touchdown effort in win

Dalton completed 21 of 34 passes for 280 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in the Bengals' 37-34 win over the Buccaneers on Sunday. He also rushed three times for 10 yards.

Analysis: Dalton was much sharper and productive in the first half, but he remained error-free throughout the contest and was clutch during what would turn out to be the game-winning drive. Dalton connected with A.J. Green for 23 and 11 yards during that possession, leading to Randy Bullock's 44-yard clinching field goal. Despite the late-game success throwing to his No. 1 receiver, Dalton was even more prolific when targeting Tyler Boyd, with whom he connected on nine occasions for 138 yards and a…read more

Quiet day in loss

Dalton completed 15 of 29 pass attempts for 148 yards, one touchdown and one interception in Sunday's 45-10 loss to the Chiefs.

Analysis: Dalton turned in his worst fantasy line of the season despite facing one of the league's worst pass defenses. Almost all of the veteran's passing yards were on connections with A.J. Green (117 of 148 yards), but he still managed to airmail his top target on a couple of open deep routes. Dalton has seen his yardage and completion percentage decrease in each of his previous three contests, a troubling sign for a fringe starting quarterback in standard leagues. He is scheduled to face a porous…read more

Season-low 229 passing yards Sunday

Dalton completed 26 of 42 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 28-21 loss to the Steelers.

Analysis: Dalton was held to his lowest yardage output of the season, but he still managed to toss multiple scores for the fifth time in six games. With breakout receiver Tyler Boyd -- who caught two touchdowns in this one -- joining A.J. Green on the outside, Dalton should remain a solid pick in two-quarterback leagues for his team's Week 7 matchup with the Titans and beyond.

Just one touchdown pass in Week 5

Dalton completed 20 of 30 passes for 248 yards, a touchdown and an interception while rushing for 10 yards on four carries in Sunday's 27-17 win over the Dolphins.

Analysis: Dalton was nothing special in this one, but Cincinnati's defense scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to help erase a 17-0 third-quarter deficit. The quarterback made a terrific play under duress to hit running back Joe Mixon for an 18-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter, sparking Cincinnati's comeback. Dalton opened the season with four consecutive multi-touchdown performances before failing to do so here, but a juicy matchup with Pittsburgh's struggling secondary…read more

Terrific in 37-36 win

Dalton completed 29 of 41 passes for 337 yards, three touchdowns and an interception while adding 13 yards on two carries in Sunday's 37-36 win over Atlanta.

Analysis: Dalton started the game with his full array of aerial weapons available with A.J. Green (pelvis) suiting up. Cincinnati's eighth-year starter hooked up with tight end Tyler Eifert for a 15-yard touchdown on the team's first possession and added a 39-yard score to speedster John Ross in the second quarter. Unfortunately for the Bengals, Eifert later left the game with what looked like a broken leg. Dalton still managed to lead his team to victory, though, taking the lead for good on a 13-yard…read more

Picked off four times in loss

Dalton completed 29 of 46 passes for 352 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions in Sunday's 31-21 loss to Carolina.

Analysis: Dalton led his team down the field for a Giovani Bernard rushing touchdown on the opening drive, but he was picked off on an ill-advised 3rd-and-17 throw on the ensuing possession. The Red Rifle made up for that error one drive later, executing a beautiful fake handoff before hitting C.J. Uzomah for a one-yard score. He was picked off again on a tipped pass in the third quarter, and once again made amends on the next possession with a 27-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Boyd. Unfortunately for…read more

Stellar in Week 2 win

Dalton completed 24 of 42 passes for 265 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions in the Bengals' 34-23 win over the Ravens on Thursday.

Analysis: As his numbers imply, Dalton was brilliant, particularly during a first half when he connected with A.J. Green for touchdowns of four, 32 and seven yards. He notched his fourth and final score of the contest before halftime as well, hitting Tyler Boyd from 14 yards out with 2:58 remaining in the second quarter to give the Bengals a seemingly commanding 28-7 lead at the time. Through two games, Dalton now has an impressive 6:1 TD:INT to go along with 508 yards, numbers he'll look to continue…read more

Throws two scores in Week 1 win

Dalton completed 21 of 28 passes for 243 yards, two touchdowns and an interception while adding two carries for eight yards in Sunday's season-opening, 34-23 win over the Colts.

Analysis: Dalton bounced back nicely after getting picked off on his first throw of the season. He connected with John Ross for a three-yard score late in the second quarter, then orchestrated a second-half comeback from a 23-10 deficit, including a 38-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Green. The Dalton-Green connection has long propped up the quarterback's fantasy value, and Ross is starting to emerge as an additional weapon after failing to record a catch in his rookie season.

Sharp in dress rehearsal

Dalton completed 11 of 16 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 26-13 preseason win over the Bills.

Analysis: Dalton received a standing ovation from the Buffalo crowd upon entering the game thanks to his role in helping the Bills snap their 17-year playoff drought last year. Those cheers quickly dissipated after his first throw of the game resulted in a 57-yard touchdown to deep threat John Ross. Dalton added a 14-yard score to A.J. Green two drives later, then set up a field goal on his fifth and final series of the game. The 30-year-old quarterback can now turn his focus toward Cincinnati's Sept. 9…read more

Quiet in limited showing versus Cowboys

Dalton completed five of seven pass attempts for 41 yards during Saturday's 21-13 preseason win over the Cowboys. He also gained 13 yards on his lone carry.

Analysis: Dalton played the first three series of the night, and while he only recorded two incompletions, he hardly generated anything downfield. He flashed his scrambling ability while picking up a first down at one point, but that was actually the team's second-longest gain during his time on the field. Dalton could benefit from his second season guiding offensive coordinator Bill Lazor's scheme, but the club will need to improve on a poor second-half showing from last year. Dalton should play a…read more

Dalton anticipates that offensive coordinator Bill Lazor will make significant changes to the playbook and scheme for 2018, Geoff Hobson of the Bengals' official website reports. "When we've changed coordinators in the past, the offense and the scheme and everything has stayed pretty similar," Dalton said. "I think this is going to feel a whole lot different than what we've done and the way we've done things."

Analysis: Lazor was promoted from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator in September when Ken Zampese was fired after Week 2. The in-season change didn't allow for a new playbook, forcing Lazor to work with a West Coast scheme that originally was installed by Jay Gruden in 2011 and maintained by both Hue Jackson (2014-15) and Zampese. Having previously worked under Joe Gibbs, Mike Holmgren and Chip Kelly, the 45-year-old Lazor is familiar with a variety of offensive philosophies and terminologies.…read more

Dalton completed 23 of 44 passes for 222 yards and three touchdowns in Sunday's 31-27 win over the Ravens.

Analysis: Dalton had difficulty connecting with A.J. Green (two catches on 10 targets) and struggled throughout most of the second half, but came up clutch in the final minutes. A 49-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Boyd gave the Bengals the lead with only 53 seconds remaining, and ultimately knocked the Ravens out of the playoffs. Cincinnati certainly didn't have the 2017 season they would have envisioned, but were able to play season spoiler for division-rival Baltimore, and Dalton finished with one of his…read more

Dalton completed 27 of 41 attempts for 238 yards, one touchdown and one interception during Sunday's 26-17 win over the Lions.

Analysis: Dalton completed a healthy 66 percent of his passes, but just one completion longer than 18 yards left him with a substandard 5.8 yards per attempt. Still, he mustered his highest yardage output since Week 10 and gave his team the lead with a one-yard touchdown pass to C.J. Uzomah in the third quarter. Dalton hasn't enjoyed the most consistent of seasons by any means and has now averaged a mere 182.3 passing yards per game over the last six, with nine touchdowns and four interceptions over that…read more

Dalton completed 11 of 22 passes for 113 yards and two interceptions without a touchdown or rushing attempt in Sunday's 34-7 loss to the Vikings.

Analysis: Dalton was deservedly benched for AJ McCarron with Cincinnati trailing 34-0 in the fourth quarter. The Red Rifle's first interception was taken to the house by Minnesota's defense, and it's fair to question Dalton's job security after consecutive efforts under 150 passing yards.

Dalton completed 14 of 29 pass attempts for 141 yards, a touchdown and an interception in Sunday's 33-7 loss to Chicago.

Analysis: The Bengals took a 7-6 lead after Dalton's touchdown pass to Brandon LaFell late in the first quarter, but it was all Bears after that. Dalton missed out on some potential garbage-time stats as he was replaced by AJ McCarron with 4:30 left in the fourth quarter. The TCU product is not a recommended option in another tough matchup at Minnesota in Week 15.

Dalton completed 21 of 36 passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns in Monday night's 23-20 loss to the Steelers. He also rushed twice for 19 yards.

Analysis: Dalton found top target A.J. Green for two red-zone touchdowns during the first half, and had a 61-yard score to Green nullified by a holding penalty in the second half. Despite that frustrating play, Dalton still fared well for himself, throwing multiple touchdowns for the fourth straight contest while extending his streak of not throwing an interception to six games. Next up for Dalton is a favorable home matchup against the Bears.

Dalton completed 18 of 28 pass attempts for 214 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 30-16 win over the Browns.

Analysis: He also rushed four times for 26 yards. The TCU product capped the Bengals' first drive of each half with touchdown passes and extended his interception-less streak to five. Up next is a home tilt with Pittsburgh, against whom he passed for 140 yards and two touchdowns to go with two interceptions in Week 7.

Dalton completed 15 of 25 passes for 154 yards and three touchdowns Sunday against the Broncos. He also gained four yards on three carries int he 20-17 win.

Analysis: Though he averaged just 6.2 yards per attempt, Dalton connected on touchdown passes with three different receivers and went without an interception for the fourth straight game. His team deferred to the run after building a lead, suppressing his number of attempts and accompanying yardage. Nonetheless, Dalton's 9:2 TD:INT over the last five games makes him a viable option in Week 12 against the Browns.

Dalton completed 20 of 35 passes for 265 yards and two touchdowns while losing two fumbles in Sunday's 24-20 loss to the Titans.

Analysis: Dalton connected with Brandon LaFell for a 37-yard score in the first quarter and added a 70-yard touchdown to A.J. Green in the fourth. The latter touchdown gave Cincinnati a 20-17 lead with 5:03 to play, but Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota was able to orchestrate a late touchdown drive of his own to win the game for the hosts. Dalton's two first-half fumbles were both costly, as the first one led to a Tennessee touchdown and the second came on 1st-and-goal from the nine-yard line.