The Bengals’ receiver room has a lot of star power at the top, but the conversation gets murkier fast once you get past Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Entering Week 8, Cincinnati is trying to sort out who really owns the WR3 job.
That matters even if the Bengals are riding high offensively. Joe Burrow and the passing game just ripped off five straight touchdown drives against the Ravens in Baltimore, and Sunday’s home matchup with the 1-6 Tennessee Titans doesn’t exactly scream trouble. Still, games like this can get weird, and Cincinnati needs every part of the offense locked in.
The biggest question is what happens behind the top two receivers. Dohnte Meyers entered the season as a training camp and preseason favorite, but his hold on the role has started to slip. He has begun dropping passes on offense and has also had issues as a return man on special teams.
Dohnte Meyers fumbles on the kick return but recovered it himself. Whew.
- Goodberry (@JoeGoodberry) October 25, 2026
Dohnte Meyers drops an easy first down on 3rd and 3.
"Dohnte Meyers was just that, a feel good story. I'm over it."
- @ReidMausRadio #Bengals pic.twitter.com/ELYkWs4eCw
- Chatterbox Sports (@CBoxSports) October 25, 2026
Even with those issues, Meyers still looks like the best option to me for the job. He brings more quickness than the other contenders, and he’s also the better returner.
But the competition is real. Andrei Iosivas had the WR3 spot before going on injured reserve, and now that his four-game minimum is up, he should be eligible to return any day now.
Then there’s Mitchell Tinsley, who was cut before coming back from the Texans practice squad. He stepped in in Week 4 and immediately made three catches for 49 yards, and it’s clear Burrow and the offensive staff trust him despite last year’s rough production.
Colbie Young is another name in the mix. The rookie fourth-round pick came back in Week 7 after missing time with a knee injury, and his size and catch radius could earn him more looks.
Mike Gesicki has basically filled in as the de facto WR3 and has been a touchdown machine lately, but that doesn’t solve the larger issue. The Bengals need more certainty in this part of the depth chart, and they need it now.
This is a very different picture from the days when Cincinnati had Chase, Higgins, and Tyler Boyd all set in stone during the Super Bowl LVI run and those two straight AFC title game seasons. That kind of stability is missing now.
A trade for another receiver doesn’t seem likely, though the deadline always leaves room for surprises. If the Colts keep unloading pieces, Josh Downs might be one name to watch - and if not Jonathan Taylor, perhaps Cincinnati would take a swing there.
For now, though, the simplest answer is already on the roster. Meyers still feels like the safest bet, and Week 8 may go a long way toward deciding whether he holds the role or loses it.
In Other News...
Burrow And Bengals Special Teams Just Made Rare Team History
Joe Burrow keeps adding to a Bengals rsum that already looks like one of the most decorated in team history, and his latest weekly honor only reinforces how steady he has been for Cincinnati. After the Week 7 win over Baltimore, Burrow was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for a performance that included 22 completions on 30 attempts, 292 yards and four touchdowns.
Special teams got its own share of recognition, too, with Ryan Rehkow taking AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after a strong punting day against the Ravens. Rehkow averaged 46 yards on four punts, and every one of them pinned Baltimore inside its 20-yard line, a detail that gives Cincinnati another encouraging sign as the unit continues to show up in big moments. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals May Already Have A Rising CB Problem Fans Didn't Expect
DJ Turner II has quietly become one of the more interesting players on the Bengals roster, even if his profile still hasnt caught up to his play. He was strong enough last season to post a high PFF coverage grade and stack up notable defensive numbers, which only adds to the sense that Cincinnati may already have something more valuable at corner than the broader football conversation realizes.
The tricky part is where Turner sits in his career and in the market around him. Cornerback prices have climbed sharply across the league, and while Turner is still tied to his rookie deal, the gap between production and recognition keeps getting harder to ignore. For the Bengals, that creates a familiar kind of roster tension, one where a young standout can look like a bargain now and a much bigger question later. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Trade Deadline Debate Comes Down To Two Roster Priorities
As the trade deadline nears, the Bengals are being sized up against a familiar front-office question: do they chase help for the backfield or look to strengthen the other spots that have left the roster thin? The idea of adding a running back has the most obvious appeal, and Jonathan Taylor sits near the top of the list of potential fits because he would instantly change the conversation about Cincinnatis ground game.
There are other names in the mix, too, with the evaluation stretching beyond one position and into how much flexibility the Bengals actually have to make a meaningful move. Zach Baun has been mentioned as a value option from Philadelphia, though his contract and cap hit could make any deal trickier than it sounds, and that is part of the broader debate here: the Bengals may know what they need, but the market is not exactly making the choice easy. [Read more 🡒]