CINCINNATI BENGALS

OFF SEASON CHANGES

The Bengals finally took some action to improve their defense, which has been a handbrake on their last few seasons. They spent over $126 million in new contracts, landing safety Bryan Cook, edge rusher Boye Mafe and defensive lineman Jonathan Allen. Then they doubled down and landed former Giants’ defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. All this spending was helped by Joe Burrow restructuring his contract to free up some cap space. The offense remained largely untouched and we know that they can put up scores when all healthy.

QUATERBACKS

When Burrow is healthy, he is a top QB in the NFL. In four of his past five seasons, more than 6% of his total pass attempts have been touchdowns. Most other QBs are in the 4-4.5% range. Burrow is currently the fourth favorite for MVP and it’s hard to argue against him having a great season. The Bengals’ defense could barely get a stop last year which often meant Burrow was forced to play from behind or not be on the field for long periods. That should change this year and will allow Burrow to cook. He is fully healthy and stacked with talent around him. I wouldn’t be surprised if he returns to the heights of 2024 where he had 43 TD passes and nearly 5000 passing yards. He’s in his prime at 29 years old and the Bengals are going all-in. Joe Flacco returns as arguably the best backup in the NFL. Despite his age he can still sling it. The Bengals will be hoping he won’t be required though…

RUNNING BACKS

The Bengals had the fourth fewest rushing yards per game in 2025 with just 93.6 per game. Some of that comes down to game script, where they were often playing from behind. It’s also a pass-heavy team with Joe Burrow at QB. Chase Brown is the undisputed RB1 after a breakout 2025 season. He had 1019 rushing yards along with 437 receiving yards and 11 total touchdowns for the year. Despite being a smaller back he’s super explosive and can damage teams on the ground and through the air. This will be the final year of his rookie contract, so he’s got plenty of motivation to perform and earn himself a pay rise. I think Brown is set for a massive season and his high price in fantasy drafts reflects that. His season rushing line is set at 825.5 yards which is very low but I also like his receiving props. Samaje Perine is the more bulldozing back and is often used in short yardage situations. The Bengals are clearly happy with their offense and that’s reflected with the lack of changes over the off-season.

RECEIVERS

This is one of the most stacked receiver rooms in the NFL, led by arguably the best receiver in the league, Ja’Marr Chase. He’s put up over 1000 receiving yards in all five of his seasons as a pro and is coming off a 1412 yard season with 8 TDs. Chase is the second-highest paid receiver in the league, earning over $40 million per season. There’s not much more that needs to be said about him, he’s an elite weapon for Joe Burrow and he can do it all. Tee Higgins would be WR1 on a lot of other teams but plays second fiddle to Chase. Higgins had a down year by his standards in 2025, finishing with just one game of 100+ yards. Andrei Iosivas, Mitchell Tinsley and tight end Mike Gesicki all complement the two stars nicely. Expect big numbers from this unit in 2026, especially if Burrow stays healthy and their defense can get them on the field more often.

DEFENCE

The Bengals have completely revamped their defense and their season will likely come down to how it performs. Dexter Lawrence anchors the interior after arriving via trade and he gives them a serious force up front for the first time in years. The additions of Boye Mafe and Jonathan Allen give Cincinnati proven pass-rush and run-stopping experience too. Bryan Cook is a solid safety and fills the missing piece next to Jordan Battle. They’ve also got a young core of Shemar Stewart, DJ Turner II and Barrett Carter who should benefit from the veteran experience around them.