AFC North · 2026 Season
Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals fantasy football hub
Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals Fantasy Football Outlook & Stats 2026
Joe Burrow played eight games and Cincinnati still finished 7th in passing yards and threw thirty-six touchdowns. Joe Flacco started most of the rest at a 79.2 rating, which is the control experiment: this offence produces WR1 volume regardless of who is upright. The run game finished 29th and nothing about the roster suggests that was an accident.
- Head coach
- Zac Taylor (eighth season)
- Passing
- 249.6 yds/g 7th in the NFL
- Rushing
- 93.6 yds/g 29th in the NFL
- Scoring
- 24.4 pts/g 12th in the NFL
- Passing TDs
- 36
- Burrow starts
- 8 of 17
Core fantasy pieces
185 targets is the highest-usage receiving role in football, and it survived losing the quarterback.
- 125 rec, 1,412 yds
- 185 targets
- 8 TD
One hundred and twenty-five catches on 185 targets is a share nobody else in the league commands, and he produced it with Joe Flacco throwing most of them. The 11.3 yards a reception is the one number that looks wrong, and it is the tell: those were checkdowns and manufactured touches from a backup, not the intermediate targets Burrow feeds him. The volume is already elite; a healthy quarterback is pure upside on the efficiency.
Seventeen touchdowns and five picks in eight games — a 36-touchdown pace at a 100.7 rating.
- 1,809 pass yds
- 17 TD, 5 INT
- 8 games
Per start he threw for 226 yards and 2.1 touchdowns, which over a full season is the best fantasy line at the position outside of the rushing quarterbacks. He has now missed significant time in three of the last four years, and he contributes nothing on the ground — 41 rushing yards all season — so a bad week is genuinely bad. Draft the ceiling and hold a real backup, not a streamer.
Eleven touchdowns on 98 targets is the best red-zone rate of any receiver here.
- 59 rec, 846 yds
- 11 TD
- 14.3 yds/rec
Eleven scores in fifteen games, on a third of Chase's target volume, is the entire argument — this offence throws it near the goal line and he is the one it looks for when Chase draws the double. The 14.3 average says the targets he does get are the valuable ones. The risk is the same one it has always been: his weeks without a touchdown are WR4 weeks, and there are more of them than the season total suggests.
Eighty-eight targets is what makes him startable, because 4.4 a carry is not.
- 1,019 rush yds
- 69 rec, 437 yds
- 11 total TD
Three hundred and one touches and eleven touchdowns is a genuine RB1 workload, and it was produced by the 29th-ranked rushing offence — the yardage per carry says the blocking is not helping him. What makes the profile hold up is the 69 receptions: in a pass-first offence that trails often enough, his floor comes from the passing game rather than from game script. Volume is the buy; efficiency is not coming.
Secondary options
Forty-two targets in an offence with two receivers who take everything.
- 28 rec, 307 yds
- 42 targets
- 13 games
Twenty-eight catches for 307 yards is a real but small role, and the ceiling is capped by arithmetic — Chase and Higgins accounted for 283 targets between them. He is on the field enough to catch a touchdown in any given week and not enough to be trusted for yardage. Stream him against a defence that struggles with tight ends; do not roster him weekly.
Bottom lineThis is the cleanest buy on the board if you believe in eight-game samples: Chase and Higgins are both underpriced by a season Burrow mostly missed. The run game is not fixed and is not going to be, so Chase Brown's value lives entirely in his 88 targets.
Usage & Opportunity Report
Updated through Week 4 · refreshed every Tuesday
Fantasy production follows opportunity, not the other way around — so this report tracks who's on the field and who the ball is going to, before the box score catches up. The essentials: target share (share of team pass attempts), snap share, and red-zone touches. The premium layer, in each player's expandable profile: first-read share (how often the play is designed for him), air-yards share (30%+ is the alpha-receiver threshold), and expected fantasy points (xFP) vs. fantasy points over expected (FPOE) — xFP is stable, repeatable volume; FPOE is efficiency that regresses. Route share (the % of dropbacks a player runs a route on — the stat that matters most for tight ends), targets per route run (TPRR) and yards per route run (YPRR — the best receiver efficiency stat there is) join the profiles when the league's route data is published. Since 2017, receivers at a 20%+ target share average 15.3 fantasy points per game; the 10–20% group averages 9.8. That cliff is why this table exists.
- Pass rate over expected+4.4%3rdThrows more than game situations call for — the volume Chase and Higgins live on
- Red-zone pass rate52%21stBalanced inside the 20 — Brown leads the team with 7 red-zone touches
- Neutral pace33.7s23rd fastestSeconds per play in neutral situations — a slow offense shrinks the pie
- Plays per game58.723rdOffensive plays a game — fewer snaps to go around, so shares matter more
- Team xFP / game84.319thTotal expected fantasy points this offense creates
The Target Tree
All 103 Bengals pass attempts through Week 4
- Ja'Marr Chase 24.3%
- Tee Higgins 22.3%
- Chase Brown 12.6%
- Mike Gesicki 9.7%
- Samaje Perine 6.8%
- Meyers/Sample/Iosivas 15.5%
- Everyone else 7.8%
- No target (throwaways, spikes, batted) 1.0%
The Backfield Split
Who owns which situations — the RB stat that actually predicts the box score.
- Chase Brown 75.8%
- Samaje Perine 24.2%
Share of the backs' carries + targets in each situation. Snap-by-snap splits need the league's participation data, which is published after the season.
- 25.0Brown weighted opps/game — RB7 in the NFL
- 16Brown high-value touches (in-10 carries + targets)
- 8.0Perine weighted opps/game
- +1.0Brown wOpp/g vs. last season — the same role as last season
Why Brown's reception count stays capped: Samaje Perine owns 57% of the backs' third-down work. Brown's 57-catch pace isn't a talent question — the passing-down role belongs to Perine. Green flag for his rushing floor, hard ceiling on his PPR upside.
The Perine math if Brown misses time: Perine backs up the red-zone role (the valuable ones). A Brown absence projects Perine to ~100% of weighted opportunities — about 33.0 a game, a top-12 weekly RB by volume — and why he's a STASH, not a cut.
Run Direction — carries & yards per carry by gap
- 5.34 attLeft end
- 2.77 attLeft tackle
- 4.345 attMiddle
- 0.73 attRight tackle
- 5.54 attRight end
Designed runs only; "Middle" includes runs behind either guard.
The interior is the run game's engine: 4.3 yards per carry up the middle on 45 attempts, 71% of all designed runs. The edges are a change-up, not the plan — when an interior lineman sits out practice, that's a usage note, not just an injury note.
Where Burrow Attacks
Share of pass attempts & yards per attempt by field zone — through Week 4
- 1%24.0 YPADeep left
- 2%12.5 YPADeep middle
- 4%20.8 YPADeep right
Line of scrimmage · deep = 20+ air yards
- 35%4.3 YPAShort left
- 24%9.2 YPAShort middle
- 34%6.4 YPAShort right
The short middle is the efficiency engine (9.2 YPA). Burrow keeps 93% of his throws under 20 air yards, with the deep right his most explosive zone (20.8 YPA on 4 attempts). Gold = highest-YPA high-volume zone.
| Profile | Player | Opportunity (WOPR) | Target share | Snap share | RZ touches | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ja'Marr ChaseWR1WR11 in target share, NFL | 0.59strong — elite at 0.60 | 24.3%+21.0 vs W1 | 94%+6 vs W1 | 4 ▲1 · 1 · 2 | Set & forget | |
The alpha profile, fully formed. A 32.5% air-yards share clears the 30% alpha threshold, a 35.8% first-read share says the offense is designed through him, and a 8.6-yard aDOT sits in the sweet spot — deep enough for ceiling, not so deep it gets volatile. He's scoring +3.2 points a game over expected — some of that is efficiency that regresses, but the 15 xFP floor holds. Bars show percentile vs. all NFL WRs. | ||||||
| Chase BrownRB1, 80% of RB touchesRB7 in weighted opps/game, NFL | —touch share 80% | 12.6%−11.7 vs W1 | 71%steady | 76 · 1 · 0 — leads team | Set & forget | |
The locked-in workhorse. A 78% share of the backs' red-zone work is the RB stat that tracks fantasy points best, and 3 green-zone carries put him at the goal line. He's −1.9 a game against expected: the volume is there and the box score hasn't caught up — a buy signal, not a warning. Bars show percentile vs. all NFL RBs. | ||||||
| Tee HigginsWR2WR22 in target share, NFL | 0.66elite | 22.3%steady | 78%+21 vs W1 | 1 ▲0 · 0 · 1 | Set & forget | |
The alpha profile, fully formed. A 45.9% air-yards share clears the 30% alpha threshold, a 28.4% first-read share says the offense is designed through him, and a 13.1-yard aDOT keeps his ceiling high and his floor jumpy. He's scoring +1.8 points a game over expected — some of that is efficiency that regresses, but the 13 xFP floor holds. Bars show percentile vs. all NFL WRs. | ||||||
| Mike GesickiTE1TE28 in target share, NFL | 0.25streamer range | 9.7%−11.9 vs W1 | 39%+18 vs W1 | 22 · 0 · 0 | Volatile | |
Not enough of the pie. A 9.7% target share is under the line where weekly fantasy value lives, and a 9% first-read share says he's rarely the design. He needs an injury above him or a role change, not a better matchup. Bars show percentile vs. all NFL TEs. | ||||||
| Samaje PerineRB2 · handcuff, 20% of RB touchesRB55 in weighted opps/game, NFL | —touch share 20% | 6.8%steady | 33%steady | 21 · 0 · 1 | Stash | |
Contingent value, quantified. The 20% touch share is standalone-flex-in-a-pinch at best; the real number is what it becomes if Brown misses time — see The Backfield Split above. Bars show percentile vs. all NFL RBs. | ||||||
| Joe BurrowQB1QB23 in xFP/game, NFL | —every dropback | —the passer | 100%steady | 33 · 0 · 0 | Volatile | |
A pocket passer's profile. 0 green-zone carries and a 2.7% scramble rate: his points have to come through the air, so his weekly range follows the pass volume (QB23 in expected points). He's scoring +2.5 points a game over expected — some of that is efficiency that regresses, but the 15.8 xFP floor holds. Bars show percentile vs. all NFL QBs. | ||||||
How to read this table
- Set & forget 20%+ target share or locked bell-cow role — start everywhere
- Starter 17–19% target share or a lead back's full workload — weekly lineup play
- Flex 15–16% share or a committee lead — matchup-dependent
- Volatile under 15% — deep leagues only
- Stash the role behind the role
- WOPR: 1.5 × target share + 0.7 × air-yards share
- + button: opens the full advanced profile — first-read share, air-yards share, xFP/FPOE — with percentile bars vs. the league
Usage trends are one of the core inputs behind our player pricing — Redraft Command re-runs every player's value as these shares move, so a riser gets repriced before your leaguemates notice.
Data: nflverse play-by-play · nflverse snap counts (PFR) · FTN Data charting via nflverse (first-read share) · ffopportunity expected points (xFP). Regular season, through Week 4.
Coaching Profile & Tendencies
Play-calling tendencies carry over from season to season when the play-caller stays the same — and become unreliable the moment he changes. That's the whole reason this module exists: before you trust any Bengals projection, you need to know whose fingerprints are on the offense and how stable they are. For the Bengals the answer is stable: Zac Taylor called this offense last season too — his eighth year on its call sheet — so last year's tendencies still mean something.
Head coach · Eighth season as caller here · Primary play-caller
Zac Taylor
Sean McVay / Rams tree
Taylor retained Cincinnati's offensive play-calling duties in 2026. Offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher received a preseason play-calling opportunity against Chicago on Aug. 22, but Taylor remains the primary regular-season caller.
- Dolphins assistant / QB coach2012-15
- Rams assistant WR / QB coach under Sean McVay2017-18
- Bengals head coach & offensive play-caller2019-26
Tendency reliability
Same play-caller as last season — his eighth season calling this offense. Last year's tendencies are a valid baseline for projecting it.
Play-caller ledgerTaylor — 3 of 3 games in 2026 · 7 prior seasons as caller here
| Tendency | 2025 (Taylor) | 2026 (Taylor) | Change | NFL avg. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pass rate (all downs) | 65.8% | 64% | −1.8 — 8th in NFL | 60% |
| Pass rate over expectedsituation-adjusted | +1.7% | +4.4% | +2.7 — 3rd in NFL | 0% |
| Neutral pacesec/play, neutral game state | 32.8s | 33.7s | slower | 33s |
| Early-down pass rate1st & 2nd down | 61.7% | 58.6% | −3.1 — 8th in NFL | 55% |
| No-huddle rate | 2.7% | 4.5% | +1.8 | 6% |
| Play-action rateshare of dropbacks, FTN charting | 16% | 17.7% | +1.7 | 24% |
| Motion at snapFTN charting | 53% | 49.4% | −3.6 | 58% |
| Shotgun rate | 82.4% | 68.8% | −13.6 — 5th in NFL | 59% |
| Red-zone pass rate | 61% | 52% | −9 | 56% |
| 4th-down go rateopponent territory, 2 yds or less | 82% | 50% | −32 | 75% |
504th-down go
Fourth downs get kicked.
The go rate on short 4th downs fell from 82% to 50%. Drives that stall now end in kicks — fewer extra possessions-worth of touchdown equity.
68.8shotgun
More under center.
Shotgun rate fell from 82.4% to 68.8% — more under-center snaps, which usually travels with a heavier run game and play-action rather than quick game.
52red-zone pass %
The red zone runs through the ground game.
Red-zone pass rate fell from 61% to 52%. Touchdown equity is shifting toward the backfield — the scoring stat that moves fantasy weeks.
Offensive coordinator
Dan Pitcher
11th season on Cincinnati's staff and third as OC; no primary regular-season play-calling experience, but he called the Aug. 22, 2026 preseason game against Chicago
Has not been a primary NFL play-caller, so there is no competing track record to muddy the read: the tendencies on this page are Taylor's.
Defensive coordinator
Al Golden
Multiple-front defense with a pressure-oriented philosophy. Cincinnati finished last in NFL blitz rate in 2025 at 16.6%, but Golden expanded blitzes, simulated pressures and line movement after the bye and indicated that late-season aggression would be a baseline going forward
Through Week 4 the defense allows -0.09 EPA per play (5th in the NFL, a top-ten unit). A defense this stout tilts game script toward leads — more second-half carries, fewer desperation targets.
Staff continuity
Year 8
Taylor's eighth season calling the Bengals offense
A continuing install: same caller, same system, eighth year. That makes the 2025 column of the table above a legitimate baseline rather than another team's data.
Career dossier
| Stop | Offense | The fingerprint he left |
|---|---|---|
| Bengals · HC2019-26 | 23.8 ppgthrough Week 4, 12th in NFL | The current stop: a league-typical WR/TE/RB target split in 2026; the lead back handled 76% of backfield weighted opportunities. |
| Positional fantasy finishes under Taylor | QB | RB1 | WR1 | TE1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengals 2022HC | QB4 · Burrow | RB10 · Mixon | WR11 · Chase | TE21 · Hurst |
| Bengals 2023HC | QB25 | RB6 · Mixon | WR11 · Chase | TE27 |
| Bengals 2024HC | QB3 · Burrow | RB10 · Brown | WR1 · Chase | TE13 · Gesicki |
| Bengals 2025HC | QB29 | RB7 · Brown | WR4 · Chase | TE37 |
| Bengals · 2026pace through Week 4 | QB13 · Burrow | RB20 · Brown | WR9 · Chase | TE16 · Gesicki |
Positional finishes are season-long PPR ranks from nflverse scoring data. Taylor's offenses have put up repeated top-ten positional seasons — the system has paid fantasy investors before.
How he distributes the ball
Target split by position across Taylor's play-calling seasons since 2016, vs. league average.
Filled bar = Taylor offenses · thin marker = league average
The lean: wide receivers run 4 points above league average under Taylor (63% vs 59%). Position splits this stable are scheme, and scheme is what carries week to week.
How he manages a backfield
Lead back's share of backfield weighted opportunities, by season called.
No clean trend: the lead back's share of backfield weighted opportunities (carries + 2×targets) has moved around season to season. Treat the current split as the read and revisit it weekly.
Play-calling by score state
Pass rate when leading, close, and trailing, 2026 through Week 4.
A 15-point pass-rate swing between leading and trailing. Ahead, the backfield eats; behind, the targets spike — check the spread before you set a flex. Play counts are shown so you can weigh each bucket's sample.
The fantasy bottom line: eighth season of the same play-caller makes this one of the more projectable offenses in the league: 4th-down go rate below league average (50% vs 75%), and shotgun rate above league average (68.8% vs 59%). The target tree leans WR, and the lead back holds 76% of the backfield's weighted opportunities. Every number on this page is computed from nflverse play-by-play and FTN charting — when it changes, the page changes.
Bengals Team Stats 2026
2026 regular season to date.
Points/G (Points scored per game)
26.7
12th of 32 — Middle tier
Pass Yds/G (Net passing yards per game)
232.0
13th of 32 — Middle tier down 7 places from last season
Rush Yds/G (Rushing yards per game)
91.3
28th of 32 — Bottom tier up 1 place from last season
Total Yds/G (Total net yards per game)
323.3
15th of 32 — Middle tier up 2 places from last season
Offense & Defense
2026 regular season to date · 3 games.
Ranked against all 32 teams. On defense 1st means fewest allowed, not most.
Offense
What they did
- Points/G — Points scored per game26.712th of 32 — Middle tier
- Total Yds/G — Total net yards gained per game323.315th of 32 — Middle tier up 2 places from last season
- Yds/Play — Net yards gained per offensive play5.4512th of 32 — Middle tier up 4 places from last season
- Pass Yds/G — Net passing yards gained per game232.013th of 32 — Middle tier down 7 places from last season
- Rush Yds/G — Rushing yards gained per game91.328th of 32 — Bottom tier up 1 place from last season
- Yds/Pass Att — Yards gained per pass attempt7.20T-14th of 32 — Middle tier up 10 places from last season
- Yds/Carry — Yards gained per rushing attempt4.0018th of 32 — Middle tier up 4 places from last season
- Passer Rtg — Passer rating produced by this offense106.610th of 32 — Middle tier up 5 places from last season
- 3rd Down — Third downs converted46.3%T-7th of 32 — Top tier down 2 places from last season
Defense
What they allowed
- Points/G — Points allowed per game21.0T-12th of 32 — Middle tier up 18 places from last season
- Total Yds/G — Total net yards allowed per game355.724th of 32 — Middle tier up 7 places from last season
- Yds/Play — Net yards allowed per play5.6522nd of 32 — Middle tier up 10 places from last season
- Pass Yds/G — Net passing yards allowed per game260.028th of 32 — Bottom tier down 2 places from last season
- Rush Yds/G — Rushing yards allowed per game95.79th of 32 — Middle tier up 23 places from last season
- Yds/Pass Att — Yards allowed per pass attempt7.3020th of 32 — Middle tier up 9 places from last season
- Yds/Carry — Yards allowed per rushing attempt4.7126th of 32 — Bottom tier up 5 places from last season
- Passer Rtg — Passer rating allowed to opposing quarterbacks88.311th of 32 — Middle tier up 15 places from last season
- 3rd Down — Third downs allowed to convert43.6%T-21st of 32 — Middle tier up 7 places from last season
Situational & Ball Security
Third and fourth down, the pass rush at both ends of it, and what each side does with the football.
4th Down (Fourth downs converted)
100.0%
T-1st of 32 — Top tier up 2 places from last season
1st Downs/G (First downs gained per game)
19.0
21st of 32 — Middle tier down 13 places from last season
Sacks Allowed (Sacks given up by this offense)
7
T-15th of 32 — Middle tier down 1 place from last season
Sacks (Sacks recorded by this defense)
10
T-5th of 32 — Top tier up 17 places from last season
Takeaways (Turnovers forced by this defense)
5
T-8th of 32 — Top tier up 2 places from last season
Giveaways (Turnovers committed by this offense)
3
T-13th of 32 — Middle tier up 14 places from last season
TO Margin (Turnover differential for the season)
+2
T-10th of 32 — Middle tier up 9 places from last season
Penalty Yds/G (Penalty yards conceded per game)
55.0
15th of 32 — Middle tier down 13 places from last season
Volume & Play Mix
Opportunity, not quality: how many snaps there are to go round and how they are divided. Ranks here are most to least, with no better end.
Plays/G (Offensive plays run per game)
59.3
T-20th of 32
Pass Att/G (Pass attempts per game)
34.3
10th of 32
Carries/G (Rushing attempts per game)
22.7
T-26th of 32
Pass TD (Passing touchdowns scored)
6
T-12th of 32 — Middle tier
Rush TD (Rushing touchdowns scored)
1
T-24th of 32 — Middle tier
Opp Plays/G (Plays this defense faces per game)
63.0
14th of 32
Own play mix
Pass 61.8%Run 38.2%
How this offense splits its snaps.
Play mix faced
Pass 67.7%Run 32.3%
How opponents attack this defense.
Season History
Every season back to 2022, each number ranked against the 32 teams of that year.
| Season | Pts/G — Points scored per game | Yds/G — Total net yards gained per game | Yds/Play — Net yards gained per offensive play | Pts All — Points allowed per game | Yds All — Total net yards allowed per game | TO +/- — Turnover differential for the season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026Current3 games | 26.712th of 32 | 323.315th of 32 | 5.4512th of 32 | 21.0T-12th of 32 | 355.724th of 32 | +2T-10th of 32 |
| 202517 games | 24.412th of 32 | 329.217th of 32 | 5.2916th of 32 | 28.930th of 32 | 380.931st of 32 | -3T-19th of 32 |
| 202417 games | 27.8 — best of the last 5 seasons6th of 32 | 365.5 — best of the last 5 seasons9th of 32 | 5.75 — best of the last 5 seasons9th of 32 | 25.5T-25th of 32 | 348.325th of 32 | +314th of 32 |
| 202317 games | 21.516th of 32 | 318.922nd of 32 | 5.1717th of 32 | 22.621st of 32 | 374.631st of 32 | +10 — best of the last 5 seasonsT-5th of 32 |
| 202216 games | 26.17th of 32 | 360.58th of 32 | 5.4811th of 32 | 20.1 — best of the last 5 seasons6th of 32 | 335.7 — best of the last 5 seasons16th of 32 | +66th of 32 |
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Bengals Fantasy Depth Chart
Offensive skill positions only. Order as listed on the team's depth chart.
QB2 players listed
RB3 players listed
WR4 players listed
- Ja'Marr Chase
Tee Higgins- Dohnte Meyers
- Mitch Tinsley
TE2 players listed
2026 Bengals Schedule
Next game
Week 4Home
vs JaguarsJacksonville Jaguars- Week 5Away
at DolphinsMiami Dolphins - Week 7DivAway
at RavensBaltimore Ravens
- W1vs
Tampa Bay BuccaneersSep 13Won 33 to 27View matchup - W2at
Houston TexansSep 20Won 20 to 6View matchup - W3at
Pittsburgh SteelersSep 27Lost 27 to 30View matchup - W4vsJacksonville JaguarsOct 41:00 PM ETView matchup
- W5atMiami DolphinsOct 111:00 PM ETView matchup
- W6Bye week
- W7atBaltimore RavensOct 251:00 PM ETView matchup
- W8vs
Tennessee TitansNov 11:00 PM ETView matchup - W9at
Atlanta FalconsNov 89:30 AM ETView matchup - W10vsPittsburgh SteelersNov 158:20 PM ETView matchup
- W11at
Washington CommandersNov 238:15 PM ETView matchup - W12vs
New Orleans SaintsNov 291:00 PM ETView matchup - W13at
Cleveland BrownsDec 61:00 PM ETView matchup - W14vs
Kansas City ChiefsDec 134:25 PM ETView matchup - W15at
Carolina PanthersDec 201:00 PM ETView matchup - W16at
Indianapolis ColtsDec 27TBDView matchup - W17vsBaltimore RavensDec 318:15 PM ETView matchup
- W18vsCleveland BrownsJan 10TBDView matchup
Explore StatChasers
- Fantasy Football ToolsThe #1 ranked fantasy football toolset.Open
- Advanced Player StatsDeeper numbers on every player in the league.Open
- Strength of ScheduleMatchup difficulty by fantasy position, including the playoff weeks.Open
- Fantasy Points AllowedHow Cincinnati's defense performs against QB, RB, WR and TE.Open
Common questions
Who are the best Cincinnati Bengals players to draft in fantasy football in 2026?
Ja'Marr Chase and Joe Burrow are the top fantasy options for the Bengals in 2026. Ja'Marr Chase projects as a first-round WR1. Joe Burrow projects as a top-five QB1, health permitting.
Is Joe Burrow a QB1 in fantasy football in 2026?
Yes. In 2026, Burrow projects as a top-five QB1, health permitting. Seventeen touchdowns and five picks in eight games — a 36-touchdown pace at a 100.7 rating.
What is Ja'Marr Chase's fantasy outlook with the Bengals?
In 2026, Chase projects as a first-round WR1. 185 targets is the highest-usage receiving role in football, and it survived losing the quarterback.
Who is the Cincinnati Bengals starting running back in 2026?
Chase Brown leads the Bengals backfield in 2026 and projects as a reception-fuelled RB1.
Who is the Bengals WR2 behind Ja'Marr Chase?
Behind Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins projects as a WR2 with WR1 scoring. Eleven touchdowns on 98 targets is the best red-zone rate of any receiver here.
Is Mike Gesicki a good fantasy tight end in 2026?
In 2026, Gesicki projects as a streaming TE. Forty-two targets in an offence with two receivers who take everything.
Is the Cincinnati Bengals offense good for fantasy football in 2026?
Ja'Marr Chase and Joe Burrow headline the Bengals in 2026. This is the cleanest buy on the board if you believe in eight-game samples: Chase and Higgins are both underpriced by a season Burrow mostly missed. The run game is not fixed and is not going to be, so Chase Brown's value lives entirely in his 88 targets.
Common questions
Who leads the Cincinnati Bengals in target share?
Ja'Marr Chase leads the Cincinnati Bengals with a 24.3% target share through Week 4, up 21.0 points since Week 1. Tee Higgins is second at 22.3%.
Common questions
How does Zac Taylor's play-calling affect Bengals fantasy players?
Zac Taylor is calling the Bengals offense for the eighth straight season, so last year's tendencies remain predictive. Through Week 4 2026, the offense shows 4th-down go rate below league average (50% vs 75%) and shotgun rate above league average (68.8% vs 59%). The lead back handles 76% of backfield weighted opportunities, and the target split leans toward wide receivers (63% vs a 59% league average). All numbers are derived from nflverse play-by-play data.
Common questions
2026 regular season to date · 3 games.
How many points per game are the Cincinnati Bengals averaging in 2026?
The Bengals are averaging 26.7 points per game through 3 games of the 2026 season, 12th in the NFL. They scored 24.4 per game in 2025. Only 3 games have been played, so these figures and ranks will still move a lot.
How many yards per game are the Bengals averaging in 2026?
Cincinnati is averaging 323.3 total yards per game through 3 games of the 2026 season, 15th in the NFL — 232.0 passing and 91.3 rushing.
How does the Bengals offense rank in the NFL in 2026?
Through 3 games of the 2026 season, the Bengals offense ranks 12th in points per game (26.7) and 12th in yards per play (5.45). Only 3 games have been played, so these figures and ranks will still move a lot.
How good is the Bengals defense in 2026?
Cincinnati has allowed 21.0 points and 355.7 total yards per game through 3 games of the 2026 season. That is tied for the 12th-fewest points allowed in the NFL. Opponents are averaging 5.65 yards a play, the 22nd-fewest allowed. Only 3 games have been played, so these figures and ranks will still move a lot.
Are the Bengals better at passing or running the ball in 2026?
Cincinnati has averaged 232.0 passing yards and 91.3 rushing yards per game through 3 games of the 2026 season. That is 7.20 yards per pass attempt compared with 4.00 per carry.
How often do the Bengals pass the ball?
61.8% of Cincinnati's offensive plays have been passes and 38.2% runs through 3 games of the 2026 season. They run 59.3 plays a game, tied for the 20th-most in the league.
What is the Cincinnati Bengals turnover margin in 2026?
The Bengals have a +2 turnover margin through 3 games of the 2026 season. They have committed 3 giveaways and forced 5 takeaways.
How do the 2026 Bengals compare with the 2025 team?
Cincinnati is averaging 26.7 points and 323.3 total yards per game through 3 games of the 2026 season. In 2025 the Bengals averaged 24.4 points and 329.2 total yards. Only 3 games have been played, so these figures and ranks will still move a lot.
Common questions
Who is the Cincinnati Bengals starting quarterback?
Joe Burrow is the Bengals' starting quarterback. Joe Flacco is listed behind Joe Burrow on the fantasy depth chart.
Who is the Cincinnati Bengals starting running back?
Chase Brown leads the Bengals running back depth chart, followed by Samaje Perine and Tahj Brooks.
Who is the Bengals WR1?
Ja'Marr Chase is listed as the Bengals' WR1 on the current fantasy depth chart. Tee Higgins, Dohnte Meyers and Mitch Tinsley follow Ja'Marr Chase in the wide receiver rotation.
What is the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver depth chart?
Cincinnati's fantasy wide receiver depth chart currently lists Ja'Marr Chase as WR1, Tee Higgins as WR2, Dohnte Meyers as WR3 and Mitch Tinsley as WR4.
Who is the Cincinnati Bengals starting tight end?
Mike Gesicki is the Bengals' starting tight end, with Drew Sample listed behind Mike Gesicki at TE2.
Who is the Cincinnati Bengals backup quarterback?
Joe Flacco is the backup quarterback behind Joe Burrow on the current Bengals fantasy depth chart.
How often is the Bengals depth chart updated?
The Bengals fantasy depth chart is updated as roster moves, injuries and role changes affect the team's offensive hierarchy.
Common questions
Who do the Cincinnati Bengals play next?
The Bengals' next game is Week 4 against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Paycor Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for Sunday, October 4 at 1:00 PM ET. The game is on CBS.
What is the Cincinnati Bengals schedule for 2026?
The Bengals play 17 regular-season games in 2026, opening in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Paycor Stadium and finishing in Week 18 against the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium. Every week's date, opponent, venue, network and result is listed in the schedule above.
When is the Cincinnati Bengals bye week in 2026?
The Bengals are on bye in Week 6 of the 2026 season, between their Week 5 game against the Miami Dolphins and their Week 7 game against the Baltimore Ravens. The bye is listed in the schedule above as its own week, with no fixture against it.
How many home games do the Cincinnati Bengals have in 2026?
Cincinnati has 8 home games in 2026, all of them at Paycor Stadium. Each one is marked HOME in the schedule above.
Who do the Bengals play in the AFC North?
The Bengals play 6 division games in 2026, home and away against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns. Division games are marked DIV in the schedule above.
When do the Bengals play the Steelers?
Cincinnati lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-30 in Week 3 at Acrisure Stadium. They meet again in Week 10 at Paycor Stadium on Sunday, November 15 at 8:20 PM ET.
When do the Bengals play the Ravens?
The Bengals face the Baltimore Ravens in Week 7 at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday, October 25 at 1:00 PM ET and Week 17 at Paycor Stadium on Thursday, December 31 at 8:15 PM ET.
When do the Bengals play the Browns?
The Bengals face the Cleveland Browns in Week 13 at Huntington Bank Field on Sunday, December 6 at 1:00 PM ET and Week 18 at Paycor Stadium on Sunday, January 10.
What channel are Cincinnati Bengals games on in 2026?
2026 Bengals games are scheduled on CBS, FOX, NFL Net, NBC, ESPN and Prime Video. CBS carries the most with 7 games. The network for each week is shown in the schedule above; 2 games have no broadcast window assigned yet and show none.
Where can I see Cincinnati Bengals scores and results?
Every completed game shows its final score in the schedule above, and upcoming games show the date, venue and network instead. The Bengals are 2-1 through 3 games in 2026, most recently lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-30 in Week 3.