Top 10 Cincinnati Bengals Players Going Into the 2026-27 NFL Season

The Bengals are always an interesting team to analyze. On paper, they should be good enough to make the playoffs, but for whatever reason, they've come up short in seasons past. The common theme has been either horrible injury luck or a good offense and a terrible defense.

With that being said, they are the only team in their division not going through a head coaching change, so they could have an advantage in that regard. Regardless, it's been several years now since they made that Super Bowl appearance. With this current core, it's starting to feel like it's make-or-break time for Cincinnati.

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 one of the best quarterbacks in the league when he stays healthy. Unfortunately, that seems to be the biggest problem with Burrow. He has incredible accuracy, decision-making, and football IQ, making him one of the best in the business and the biggest reason the Bengals became relevant again in the first place.
But again, the injuries keep piling up. He only played eight games last season after a nagging turf toe injury kept him sidelined. People like to compare him to Dan Marino, but I honestly see an eerily similar comparison to Andrew Luck.
Ja'Marr Chase

Ja'Marr Chase is hands down one of the best wide receivers in the league right now. He has blistering speed and separation that few can keep up with. In 2024, he captured the rare Triple Crown, leading the NFL in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns and becoming only the fifth player in the Super Bowl era to accomplish that feat.
His 2025 season saw a slight decrease in production, but it was still incredible regardless. It's important to note that Joe Burrow missed significant time last season, and Chase still had 1,412 yards and eight touchdowns. He earned First-Team All-Pro honors and made his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl.
Dexter Lawrence

The Bengals lost Trey Hendrickson in free agency, so they made the interesting decision to trade for Dexter Lawrence in exchange for the 10th overall pick in this past draft. It was a steep price to pay, but Cincy wanted someone proven over a potential developmental player. Sexy Dexy wanted out and requested a trade, and he got his wish.
Cincinnati gets a proven veteran talent who can be an elite, game-changing defensive tackle. He has made multiple Pro Bowls and earned two Second-Team All-Pro selections. He's the supposed Trey Hendrickson replacement. The trade makes sense on paper. Now we see if it pays off in reality.
Tee Higgins

Higgins is essentially a WR1 trapped as a WR2. He's generally considered the top WR2. It's tough to outshine a guy like Ja'Marr Chase. On paper, he's decent, but that's because defenses have to put more focus on Ja'Marr Chase.
Higgins was named to the Pro Bowl in 2025 for the first time in his career. He finished with 846 yards and a career-high 11 touchdowns. My only real critique of the guy is his durability. He's always dealing with nagging injuries that sideline him here and there.
Amarius Mims

Amarius Mims has been decent so far in the NFL. He's steadily shown improvement over time. He is entering his third season and has established himself as a staple of the Bengals' offensive line.
There's a feeling that he hasn't come anywhere close to his ceiling yet and is still just scratching the surface of his potential. He could very well be an All-Pro or at least a Pro Bowl selection in the 2026-27 season.
Chase Brown

Chase Brown started to draw attention in 2024, but then had a breakout season in 2025 with more than 1,000 rushing yards and six touchdowns. On top of that, he had 437 receiving yards and five touchdowns, making him a very versatile asset for the Bengals' offense.
He's not in the upper echelon of elite running backs, but he's certainly a dynamic player in his own right and something of a jack-of-all-trades player at the same time.
Bryan Cook

The Bengals acquired Bryan Cook in free agency. Cook had spent the previous four seasons with Kansas City, winning two Super Bowls in his first two seasons. He's had at least 78 total tackles in each of the last two seasons and more than 50 solo tackles in each season as well.
He's a solid starter and a guy I wish the Chiefs would've somehow kept around. He now plays for his hometown team and brings some much-needed help. He had one of the lowest missed-tackle rates in the league, and PFF gave him an 83.5 overall grade, ranking him fourth among safeties.
Orlando Brown Jr.

Orlando Brown Jr. is a veteran offensive tackle who stands out on the Bengals' offensive line as one of its most reliable players. He's got a Super Bowl ring and four Pro Bowl selections in his career. He's a solid starter, but not necessarily elite.
For what it's worth, the Bengals clearly value him enough to keep him around for the foreseeable future. He did give up nine sacks last year, though, which was among the worst totals at his position. As long as he protects Joe Burrow, that's all Cincy needs from him.
Jonathan Allen

Cincy brings in Jonathan Allen, the longtime Washington Commander who made two Pro Bowls in eight seasons with the team. He's been genuinely solid overall and is a durable, reliable veteran presence for the Bengals' defense.
If he can be above average, that would go a long way toward improving this Bengals defense. He's not going to blow anyone away, but the Bengals need all the defensive help they can get.
Boye Mafe

The Bengals made it their mission to improve their lackluster defense this offseason, so why not go ahead and sign a guy who just won Super Bowl LX with Seattle? On paper, his numbers won't blow anyone away, but he was playing in a bunch of rotational roles, and it was clear Seattle wasn't utilizing him enough to justify another contract.
It felt like he was just sort of there. Even though he contributed, he didn't necessarily stand out. He is only 27, so maybe he can reach his potential alongside Dexter Lawrence.