Top 10 Cincinnati Bengals Players Going Into the 2025-26 Season

The Bengals are an interesting team to analyze. They are very Jekyll and Hyde. They have one of the best and most explosive offenses in the league. However, they have a defense that is quite literally the polar opposite and one of the absolute worst in the entire league.

Unfortunately, last year they learned the hard way that Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase can play out of their minds, but it still doesn't matter because they missed the playoffs.

Also, they're still negotiating with Trey Hendrickson, and the situation with Shemar Stewart is worsening the longer it drags on.

On paper, this team has the potential to contend in the AFC, but it's hard to trust Cincinnati knowing how bad their defense is. They better hope they can get a deal done with both Hendrickson and Stewart. If not, Bengals fans might as well buckle up for a long season.

The Top Ten

Joe Burrow

Joseph Lee Burrow (born December 10, 1996) is an American professional football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). After three seasons of college football with the Ohio State Buckeyes, he played two seasons for the LSU Tigers, winning the Heisman Trophy and... read more

Joe Burrow is still one of the top quarterbacks in the league. I still believe he's a top 5 caliber quarterback. He beat the Chiefs in the playoffs and nearly won a Super Bowl.
The injury concerns are one thing, though. However, as long as Burrow is healthy, he is still one of the premier quarterbacks in the NFL. He finished the 2024 season with 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdowns, leading the league in both categories, and made the Pro Bowl as well as winning Comeback Player of the Year.
It's a shame he went ballistic this year and, despite his performance, the Bengals still couldn't make the playoffs. Honestly, you better not waste this man's career, Bengals. He's the best quarterback in franchise history.
Ja’Marr Chase

Ja'Marr Chase has been elite ever since the moment he was drafted. He won Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2021. Ja'Marr has had at least 1,000 yards in each of his four seasons so far. His 2024 season was something special.
He had career highs in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns, and led the league in all three respective categories, becoming only the fifth player in the Super Bowl era to accomplish the Triple Crown. He's without a doubt a top 2 wide receiver in the league, and he's not 2. Chase is as elite as they come, and I know it's early in his career, but Ja'Marr is already well on his way to becoming Hall of Fame bound.
It's a shame he played out of his mind and the Bengals still couldn't make the playoffs.
Trey Hendrickson

Trey Hendrickson has been one of the top edge rushers in the NFL for years now. He made First Team All-Pro and four Pro Bowls so far and is a very consistent, highly productive edge rusher. PFF gave him an 88.1 grade, ranking 8th overall in the league.
Back-to-back years of 17.5 sacks, and he was the league leader in sacks in 2024. He finished with 46 tackles, 36 quarterback hits, and 19 tackles for loss. The Bengals better hope they can get a deal negotiated with him soon because Hendrickson is truly the heart and soul of the defense.
You can't have your star defensive player disgruntled over this situation. Gotta give him some support out there. He can't do it all.
Tee Higgins

Tee Higgins is arguably the best WR2 in the league. There's more than a handful of teams where he would be the hands-down #1 wideout.
It's tough to outshine a guy like Ja'Marr Chase, but Tee complements him nicely. Even missing a significant amount of time this past season, he still had over 900 yards and 10 touchdowns.
I expect he'll have a great 2025 season, although who knows if he'll stay. He's probably gonna want too much money, so the Bengals can't afford him. It wouldn't surprise me if he plays elsewhere in the near future.
Logan Wilson

The Bengals defense may be awful, but Logan Wilson is a bit of an unsung hero on that defense. He's been a productive linebacker, generating plenty of tackles and leading the team in most tackles over the last three seasons, including 100+ tackles in each of the last four seasons, with a career-high 135 tackles in 2023.
His 2024 numbers were slightly down, but he did miss a third of the season. Wilson doesn't always get the proper recognition he deserves, but he's undoubtedly a huge component to the Bengals defense.
Amarius Mims

Amarius Mims has been great so far in the NFL, arguably the second-best offensive lineman from his draft class. He has impressive size and athleticism and a lot of promise for a young offensive lineman, honestly an unsung hero for the Bengals' offensive line.
One of the best rookies the Bengals have had since Ja'Marr Chase. While he's not perfect, he's shown steady improvement over the course of the season. He should take a big step forward in 2025.
Orlando Brown Jr.

Orlando Brown is one of the more reliable players on the Bengals' offensive line. They rely on him heavily to protect Joe Burrow. Despite a down season in 2023, he is still a four-time Pro Bowler and is still one of the better left tackles in the league. He's emerged as a leader for the Bengals team.
His PFF grade was a little low in 2024, but he did miss about a third of the season. He's obviously a very valuable asset the Bengals rely on. His contract is expiring in 2026, so I imagine they'll have to pay him soon.
Shemar Stewart

Shemar Stewart has tons of athleticism and potential, but his production in college leaves something to be desired. 4.5 sacks in three years isn't exactly a lot, especially for a first-round pick.
The upside is absolutely there, but he lacks the consistency you'd expect from a top 20 draft prospect. There are plenty of questions surrounding his ability to reach his potential. He might be a developmental pick for now, given his lack of statistical output.
It also doesn't help matters that he's currently in a contract dispute with the Bengals that continues to get uglier by the day.
Chase Brown

Chase Brown has emerged as the true lead running back for the Bengals. With no Joe Mixon anymore, Cincy lacks a true RB1.
Brown showed plenty of promise in his second season. He's very versatile and has shown potential for growth. In 2024, he finished the season with 990 yards and 7 touchdowns.
I expect him to continue to get the majority of the carries in a pretty weak running back room. Expect him to be a primary contributor for the Bengals offense.
Mike Gesicki

Mike Gesicki is a good starting caliber tight end, but not necessarily an elite tight end. His PFF grade of 71.5 ranks 13th among all tight ends in the league.
Gesicki is known for having good hands, but his blocking abilities are less than ideal. Definitely a valuable asset to the team, but he functions more as a slot receiver and a tight end in name only.
He's the good, reliable safety net when Chase and Higgins are unavailable. He finished with 665 yards and 2 touchdowns in 2024.