As the Jacksonville Jaguars get ready for Week 4 against the Cincinnati Bengals, one thing keeps popping to the surface: don’t sleep on Tee Higgins.
That was the clearest takeaway from a Q&A with Anthony Cosenza of Cincy Jungle, who broke down where Cincinnati feels strongest, where it still looks vulnerable, and why Higgins has been flying a little too far under the radar.
For all the attention that usually goes to quarterback and receiver, Cosenza pointed to defensive tackle as the Bengals’ most trustworthy non-QB, non-WR group. The reason starts with the offseason moves. Cincinnati traded for Dexter Lawrence and added Jonathan Allen, and Cosenza said those additions have changed the tone around the entire roster.
“the “all-in” mentality from a hyper-aggressive offseason (at least by this team’s standards),” he said, noting that Lawrence and Allen have added both leadership and production. Their arrival has pushed last year’s interior starters, T.J.
Slaton Jr. and B.J. Hill, into rotational roles.
The result, he said, is a front that looks a lot like the Bengals’ 2021 interior line, when Hill, DJ Reader, Larry Ogunjobi and others were holding things down inside.
If that’s the area that inspires confidence, the one that gives Cincinnati the most concern this week is safety. Bryan Cook is dealing with an injury, and Kyle Dugger is also banged up. If the Bengals are forced to lean on PJ Jules and Jordan Battle, Cosenza’s message was blunt: that’s the spot to target Trevor Lawrence in fantasy.
Lawrence has been the centerpiece of Cincinnati’s defensive makeover, and Cosenza said the former Giants standout has already altered how the unit operates. He credited him with work ethic, accountability and a loosened-up approach that still comes with real production.
“He’s brought work ethic, increased accountability, and a “have fun playing ball” mentality. He’s also backed it up on the field.”
Even though Lawrence didn’t pile up huge numbers in Weeks 1 and 2, Cosenza said his impact showed up in the wins and in the way he helped others make plays. Through three games, Lawrence is playing around 60% of the defensive snaps, but that hasn’t stopped him from being highly effective and giving Al Golden more freedom to rotate bodies up front. The middle has been tough to run through, though Cosenza said space plays have still caused problems.
Through three weeks, Cosenza said the Bengals have shown urgency, but they also still carry the same flaws that have followed them from late 2023 through 2025. The roster has more talent, more leadership and more of a championship mindset, but the big question remains whether this group can push past the 9-10 win range it has hit when Joe Burrow is healthy.
The 2-0 start had people buzzing, but the loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers brought some of those old concerns right back to the surface. Cosenza said the bigger test is whether Cincinnati can handle teams outside the division with any consistency and whether it can win enough AFC North games to survive the playoff grind.
When it came to players expected to deliver, Higgins was the easy call. Cosenza called him “quietly been exceptional,” pointing to both his receiving and run-blocking work. He also said Evan McPherson needs to keep doing his part given the offense’s current dependence on him.
For the player he wants to see break through, Cosenza named Cashius Howell and/or Shemar Stewart. Howell, the team’s first pick in the 2026 draft after the Lawrence trade, has already been a spark plug. Stewart has been injured and, as Cosenza put it, has had “an odd pro trajectory, to say the least.”
On the betting side, Cosenza said he sees either a fairly comfortable Jaguars win or a Bengals cover that barely gets across the line. He still believes Cincinnati has talent, but thinks the team is still sorting itself out. His final note for the game: keep an eye on the less obvious names, including Higgins, Tuten and Chase Brown.
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