By Anthony Licciardi
Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. A select few find that special intersection and make the league look easy.
Last year, Ja’Marr Chase and the Cincinnati Bengals took the league by storm. Like Henry Rowengartner in “Rookie of the Year,” the neophyte flashed time and time again. Both enjoyed playoff success after a regular season full of magic.
But eventually, magic runs out, right? How long can Joe Burrow pull off “360 no scopes” like an old Call of Duty YouTuber? Time and time again, Chase hauled in touchdowns in immaculate fashion. Tip drills. Defenders crashing into each other like cartoon characters. More missed tackles than underpaid mall cops.
Fighting regression is how Chase retain’s Cincinnati’s potency on offense. He’s their X-Factor and one of the few receivers on the planet capable of carrying any load asked of him.
Some guys are just different. Chase is one of them.
I don’t have all the answers as to how he’ll match last season’s 81/1,455/15 totals, but I’m confident he gets in the ballpark. He’s produced at every level, has the draft capital to back up his talent, and his partners in crime are pretty good, too. Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd might not possess Chase’s lethality, but stress the defense enough to draw legitimate attention.
Part of what makes Chase so good is his ability to strike from anywhere. He’s taken slants to the house like Odell Beckham Jr. and habitually takes the top off the defense. Chase’s dynamite keeps the offense explosive, even without a freak throwing the ball around.
Furthermore, the chemistry Burrow and Chase have is unlike anything in the sport. College teammates at Louisiana State, the two are incredible out of structure. As we saw last year, the combination of talent, instincts, and chemistry is virtually unstoppable.
FanDuel set Chase’s receiving yards prop at 1,210.5 yards, with -112 odds in either direction.
Is he due for some regression? Yes. But Chase’s “unsustainable” run isn’t just a lesson in variance. Few have entered the league with as much talent as Chase. Even fewer have landed in the perfect fit for production.
Chase creates his own luck.
He’s performed against top corners and dominates the targets and air yards for a talented unit. I don’t know about you, but I’m not in the business of doubting good football players.
Don’t let Chase leave you in the dust.