It was a bit surprising when the Cincinnati Bengals used their 2014 second-round pick on LSU running back pointed out recently, Jackson’s offenses are usually one of the most run-heavy teams in the league. That is even truer when it comes to his red zone play calling. This bodes well for both Bengals star running backs, as they both should see a generous workload with Jackson at the helm.

When Are They at Their Strongest?

If you watched many Bengals games in 2014, one thing seemed to constantly stick out when it comes to the running backs. As the game would go on, Bernard would start games hot but would tire and become much less effective or even noticeable on the field. On the other hand, Hill seemed to get better as the game went on.

I dug a little deeper and found that out of the 20 longest plays involving Bernard in 2014, only four of them came in the second half. Bernard just simply wasn’t as effective after halftime last season, but that’s when Hill stood out. Of Hill’s longest 32 plays, 13 of them were in the fourth quarter alone. While Bernard seemed to reach his peak after approximately 15 touches, that’s when Hill turned on the motor and ran his best.

This is something that Marvin Lewis and Hue Jackson need to note moving into 2015 to maximize the potential of this 1-2 punch.

What to Expect

In 2014, Hill and Bernard both finished in the top 20 of fantasy running backs. This year, they are being drafted as such. In best-ball leagues, Hill is being drafted as the 10th running back off the board. Bernard is 20th.

While it’s certain that Hill has done more than enough to warrant the starting position, it’s not unfathomable to think that both running backs could finished inside the top 15 if Jackson and Lewis utilize them often and when they are at their best.