The Bengals are set to open 2026 at home against Tampa Bay on Sept. 13, and the big reason for the buzz is the same one Cincinnati has leaned on before: Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are back together on the field.
That trio is part of why USA TODAY NFL reporter Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz placed the Bengals No. 7 in his rankings of every offense in the league. Cincinnati landed as the highest-ranked team in the AFC North, ahead of the Baltimore Ravens at No. 9, the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21 and the Cleveland Browns at No. 32.
Middlehurst-Schwartz started at the bottom with the Browns, who checked in last with first-year head coach Todd Monken and returning quarterback Deshaun Watson.
For Cincinnati, the appeal is built on familiarity. The Bengals are the only team in the division with a returning head coach, and the ranking pointed to that continuity as a major reason for optimism. As the piece put it, "Continuity gives the Bengals a chance to shake that trend, particularly with the line looking as solid as it has ever been for Burrow."
That note matters because the Bengals have carried a reputation for slow starts under Zac Taylor. Still, the ranking paints this group as one of the league’s most dangerous offenses on paper, with the line viewed as especially sturdy around Burrow.
Cincinnati finalized its 53-man roster on Aug. 30, with Taylor and the team believing they had strong depth on both sides of the ball. The offense was expected to be reloaded, while the defense was described as retooled.
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Bengals Took A Risk Joe Burrow Is Counting On
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Bengals Suddenly Have A Real Path To The AFCs Top Seed
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Burrow, for his part, has sounded upbeat about where things stand and the standards the Bengals are setting for themselves heading into the 2026 season. That optimism matters because this is not just about taking advantage of a favorable slate, but about proving the roster changes actually close the gap in a crowded AFC. The path is there now, and the next step is showing Cincinnati can turn that opening into something bigger. [Read more 🡒]