With some defensive upgrades taking place over the offseason, the Cincinnati Bengals are emerging as darkhorse candidates as AFC contenders. But let's be real, this team is really going to ride the strength of an offense led by Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Chase Brown.Ian Hartitz and Dwain McFarland bring you everything you need to know about the Bengals for fantasy football with their 2026 fantasy football cheat sheet, highlighting their fantasy football rankings, projections and more.

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Cincinnati Bengals Team Snapshot for 2026

• 2025 Record / Rank in PPG: 6-11 / 24.4 (12)
• 2026 Proj TDs per game: 2.7 (rank: 7)
• Head Coach: Zac Taylor
• Offensive Playcaller: Taylor (OC Dan Pitcher)
• Projected Plays Per Game: 61.8 (rank: 8)
• Projected Dropback Rate: 65% (rank: 1)
• Matthew Freedman’s Projected Win Total: 9.8
• Offensive Line Grades: D
• Key Departures: Trey Hendrickson (EDGE)
• Key Additions: Boye Mafe (EDGE), Colbie Young, Jack Endries

Bengals Depth Chart and Fantasy Football Rankings

QB: Joe Burrow (QB5)

RB: Chase Brown (RB11) | Samaje Perine (RB76)

WR: Ja'Marr Chase (WR1) | Tee Higgins (WR17) 

TE: Mike Gesicki (TE31)

Fantasy Football Team Overview for the 2026 Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Burrow scored the second-fewest fantasy points per game (16.8, QB15) of his career last season. Of course, he remains a yearly threat to vie for the league lead in passing yards and touchdowns … like he did in 2024 … whenever healthy enough to make it through a season. Although we do now have two examples (2023, 2025) of Burrow offering rough QB2 fantasy production when forced to play through lower-body injuries.

Chase Brown is a solid enough real-life talent capable of playing across all three downs inside a Bengals offense that has ranked seventh, seventh, and sixth in points per game during the three seasons that Burrow has been healthy enough to start more than 10 games. Throw in the reality that Brown (26 years young) is in the middle of his prime and not coming off any injury, and we sure seem to be looking at the profile of a Round 1 fantasy RB–but at a Round 3 cost.

Ja'Marr Chase (19.6) trails only Puka Nacua (20) in career PPR points per game among all wide receivers … ever. Even Jason Pierre-Paul doesn't need more than one hand to count the number of players who deserve to be drafted ahead of him in fantasy this season. Meanwhile, Tee Higgins has scored 24 touchdowns in his last 30 games. Unfortunately, injuries have caused Higgins to miss 12 games over the last three seasons to a variety of lower-body issues (usually hamstring-related) and concussions. Scary stuff. Just realize the 27-year-old talent possesses as high a ceiling as anyone at the position whenever he has the blessings of the injury gods.

The Bengals are fully expected to continue rotating three to four tight ends, rendering each as non-viable fantasy assets more weeks than not.

Chicago Bears Utilization Notes for 2026 

Chase Brown has yet to put together a wire-to-wire great fantasy season. However, when injuries have opened the door to a full-time role, he has boomed.

• 2024: Prior to Zack Moss injury → 10.8 points per game, 39% snaps
• 2024: Post injury → 20.6, 85%
• 2025: Prior to Samaje Perine injury → 11.2, 62%
• 2025: Post injury → 20.7, 70%

Brown offers high-end RB1 upside when featured, making him an intriguing Round 2 fantasy pick. The big question: How good is Brown? Historically, players like Moss and Perine haven't held down great RB talent, but they derailed Brown.

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