Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals remain one of the safest fantasy bets in 2026 because the core of Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Chase Brown is back, and the offense is still projected to be one of the league’s most pass-heavy units. Cincinnati’s projected dropback rate is elite, and multiple previews still place the team near the top tier for fantasy scoring opportunity, which keeps the weekly ceiling very high for the main pieces.

Joe Burrow is the engine of the whole operation and remains a strong QB1 target, but his injury history is the main reason to keep expectations realistic. He missed nine games in 2025 because of injury, and another preview notes he has now missed significant time in three of his first six seasons, so his fantasy value is tied to availability as much as talent. When healthy, though, the passing volume and touchdown environment are exactly what fantasy managers want, and one 2026 preview still projects him as a top-five quarterback.

Ja’Marr Chase is still the clear star of the skill-position group and belongs near the very top of fantasy drafts, with Tee Higgins also holding strong WR2 value in a high-volume passing attack. The Bengals’ receiver room is stable enough that both players should see enough targets to matter every week, and the offense’s returners give Cincinnati one of the cleanest fantasy profiles in the league. The biggest swing factor is health: if Burrow stays upright, both wideouts have top-tier upside; if not, the offense becomes much less efficient.

Chase Brown looks like the most interesting value at running back. Draft Sharks says he enters 2026 as a fringe RB1 with top-five upside if Cincinnati stays healthy, and Fantasy Life notes he has repeatedly produced like a high-end RB1 when injuries opened up a full-time role. The backfield is not especially crowded, which helps Brown’s touch projection, while the departure of Noah Fant leaves Mike Gesicki as the top pass-catching tight end but not a player who changes the fantasy math much. Overall, this is still a Cincinnati offense to aggressively target in drafts, with Burrow, Chase, Higgins, and Brown all capable of returning profit if the Bengals’ injury luck finally cooperates.

Updated 06/21/2026