Warren Sharp’s latest NFL preview doesn’t exactly flatter the Bengals, and the numbers that stand out most are the ones near the bottom of his rankings.
Sharp, whose annual Football Preview runs 619 pages, placed Cincinnati’s offensive line 28th in his positional rankings. That drew attention because the Bengals showed clear improvement in the second half of 2025 and are bringing back all five starters. But when asked about the ranking on X, Sharp pointed to a series of ugly efficiency numbers from last season.
“Bengals ranked #28 in pass block win rate last year,” he tweeted. “Allowed #3 most pressure, #2 most non-blitz pressure, #7 shortest time-to-sack. RB runs in primary OL combo (Brown-Fairchild-Karras-Risner-Mims): 3.9 YPC, -0.09 EPA/rush, 12.8% stuff rate, 1.29 YBC/att, which rank (respectively): #26, #25, #4, #14.
“I think they can play better than this in 2026, but just rolling back 2025 would result in another bottom-10 result.”
Sharp’s skepticism doesn’t stop with the line. He also has the Bengals 26th in his front-seven rankings, which include linebackers, and he is low on Cincinnati’s defensive additions this offseason, including the stunning trade for Dexter Lawrence.
Elsewhere on the roster, Sharp’s view is much more favorable. He puts the Bengals at No. 24 in head coach rankings, with Zac Taylor landing in the bottom 10, and has the secondary at No. 23.
The biggest strength, by far, is quarterback. Sharp ranks the Bengals No. 3 there, behind only the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens. Joe Flacco’s presence as the backup helped lift that spot, while Joe Burrow comes in as Sharp’s No. 5 fantasy quarterback behind Josh Allen, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels and Jackson.
Cincinnati’s receiver group also gets a strong mark. Sharp slots the wideouts at No. 4, trailing only the Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings.
In fantasy terms, Ja’Marr Chase is second behind Puka Nacua, while Tee Higgins checks in at No. 16.
At running back, Sharp has the Bengals at No. 17. Chase Brown is his No. 9 fantasy back.
Sharp’s preview also includes a section titled “Teams Helped and Hurt by NFL Schedule (a deep dive into rest discrepancies),” one of the many topics in the book.
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