ESPN’s future NFL roster rankings put the Cincinnati Bengals right in the middle of the pack, slotting them 15th for 2026.
The top of the list belongs to the Los Angeles Rams, who were boosted by reigning MVP Matthew Stafford and the addition of Myles Garrett on defense. In the AFC North, the Baltimore Ravens checked in at No. 5 under new head coach Jesse Minter.
For Cincinnati, ESPN pointed to the wide receiver room as the roster’s biggest strength, with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins leading the way as a Pro Bowl tandem. On the other side of the ball, the publication labeled the off-ball linebackers the team’s biggest weakness, noting the bottom-six PFF grade rankings of Barrrett Carter, Demetrius Knight Jr. and Oren Burks, who were ranked 83rd, 85th and 88th out of 88 linebackers.
The left side of the offensive line was identified as the X-factor for 2026. Orlando Brown Jr. and Dylan Fairchild are expected to be central to protecting Joe Burrow, and ESPN noted that Brown’s Pro Bowl background and Fairchild’s second-year status give that pairing room to rise.
ESPN also highlighted third-year tight end Erick All Jr. as the Bengals’ nonstarter to know. All has battled injuries since college, missed all of 2025, and caught 20 passes on 22 targets for 158 yards as a rookie in 2024.
Cincinnati’s division neighbors landed lower in the rankings, with the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 19 and the Cleveland Browns at No. 31.
The Bengals are trying to bounce back from a 6-11 season in 2025, when Burrow was sidelined for a significant stretch for the third time in his career.
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Bengals May Have Finally Found Burrows Missing Third Threat
The Bengals spent the offseason looking for a receiver who could do more than simply round out the depth chart, and Colbie Young gives them a different kind of option. He brings the kind of route-running and downfield ability that can matter in an offense already built around JaMarr Chase and Tee Higgins, with the chance to add another layer to what Cincinnati can do through the air.
Youngs path to this point has not been simple, with legal issues in 2024 part of the backdrop and his stock tested again by injury concerns. Still, the appeal is obvious if he can stay on the field and settle in, because a player with his profile could give the Bengals a true third threat and even open up more flexibility for how they deploy Chase. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Burrow's NFL Ranking Says Everything About Bengals' Biggest Fear
Joe Burrows place in a fresh quarterback ranking is a reminder of how quickly the conversation around Cincinnati can shift when the franchise passer is healthy, hurt, or somewhere in between. The list also puts his 2025 season in the same frame as standout years from veterans like Matthew Stafford and production spikes from other stars, but for the Bengals the bigger issue is not where Burrow lands on a chart. It is how much the teams ceiling still depends on him being available for a full season.
Cincinnati spent last year living through the downside of that reality, and the organizations next steps are still being shaped by it. The Bengals have made clear they are not looking to move on from Burrow, but the ranking only sharpens the pressure on a team that knows its path back to contention runs through its quarterback staying on the field and giving the roster a chance to matter in 2026. [Read more 🡒]
Chase Brown Just Got An Outside Evaluation Bengals Fans Wont Like
Chase Browns rise last season was one of the quieter bright spots for Cincinnati, especially after a sluggish start gave way to a much more productive stretch once Joe Flacco and then Joe Burrow were back handling quarterback duties. The early part of the season did not look much like the version of Brown the Bengals hoped to build around, but the late surge at least gave the team a reason to believe his role could keep growing.
Still, an ESPN survey of coaches, scouts and executives did not place Brown among the leagues top running backs, even as names like Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs and Saquon Barkley headlined the group. For a Bengals offense that could use more steady production on the ground, it is another reminder that Brown has more proving to do before he starts getting the kind of outside respect that matches the internal optimism. [Read more 🡒]