Cincinnati Bengals

No team embodies the Tecmo Bowl spirit of 'all offense, no defense, no punting' mentality quite like the Cincinnati Bengals. By signing QB Joe Burrow, WR Ja'Marr Chase, and WR Tee Higgins to expensive long-term deals, the Bengals should field a potent offense for years to come, with little salary cap space to fortify a defense that ranked 25th in 2024. That makes Bengals players highly desirable fantasy targets.

Burrow led the NFL with 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdowns. He finished as fantasy's QB2 after missing seven games in 2023. Playing behind a suspect offensive line, Burrow engineered an offense that ranked 6th in scoring (27.8), 8th in yards per play (5.8), and 10th in EPA per play (0.07). Burrow/Chase stacks won countless fantasy titles last season and will be one of the most sought-after stacks again in 2025.

Defacto GM Duke Tobin evenly split Cincinnati's six 2025 NFL Draft picks on defense and offense, targeting the trenches. Tobin did not address the RB position until he selected Tahj Brooks in the 6th round, cementing Chase Brown as a legitimate RB1 target. Brown produced 1,350 scrimmage yards and 11 scores despite not starting until Week 4. Brown scored 13-plus fantasy points in 12 of his 13 starts and will see plenty of touches in his third season.

Ja'Marr Chase was fantasy football's No. 1 wideout who commanded a league-high 175 targets. Those ample looks resulted in Chase pulling the receiving Triple Crown. Duplicating last year's production will be difficult, but Chase warrants 1.01 attention in all leagues.

Now locked into Cincinnati for four years, Tee Higgins ranked 5th with 18.7 PPR points per game, giving the Bengals the top duo in football. Higgins missed five games with hamstring and quad injuries but scored 12-plus fantasy points in nine of the 10 full games he played. Andrei Iosivas returns as the WR3 after the Bengals ignored the position in free agency and the draft. Iosivas will need to improve his consistency, but he is worth late-round consideration in deeper leagues.

And just because the QB and wideouts got extensions didn't exempt the tight ends. Mike Gesicki re-signed for three years and returns to lead Cincinnati's TE rotation. Gesicki finished just outside TE1 range last season and ranked 12th with 83 targets. He's a solid TE2 fantasy option but will continue to split playing time with Drew Sample and Erick All, who missed most of his rookie campaign.

The Bengals should once again be able to score and surrender plenty of points. That makes targeting Cincinnati skill position players a solid investment on draft day.

Fantasy Grade: A

QB Joe Burrow - Stud (low risk)

Joe Burrow delivered a stellar 2024 fantasy season, leading the NFL in passing yards (4,918), touchdowns (43), and completions (460), while maintaining a 70.6 percent completion rate. He averaged 22-plus fantasy points per game, ranking as the QB3 overall. Burrow's advanced metrics underscore his elite performance: he topped the league in pass attempts (652), red zone throws (126), and air yards (4,609). His 6.6 percent touchdown rate and 1.7 percent turnover-worthy play rate highlight his efficiency and decision-making. Paired with an elite supporting cast and a defense that will lead to fantasy-friendly game scripts, Burrow remains a top fantasy option in an expanding QB class.

RB Chase Brown - Solid/Safe Pick

Chase Brown was one of last year's biggest breakouts. After Zack Moss went down with a Week 8 neck injury, Brown became Cincinnati's feature back. Starting in Week 9, Brown averaged 23.6 touches, 116.2 scrimmage yards, and housed six touchdowns. Moss is slated to return in a backup role, and the Bengals reunited with Samaje Perine, but Brown is expected to have a prominent role as the team's three-down starter. Brown will see favorable game scripts in a Cincinnati offense projected to be among the highest-scoring NFL offenses.

RB Zack Moss - Fantasy Handcuff

Moss opened the season as Cincinnati's lead back, scoring 12-plus PPR points in three of the club's first four games. But Moss's lack of explosive plays resulted in him losing snaps to Chase Brown before a neck injury ended Moss's season after Week 8. Now, Moss is clearly behind Brown on the depth chart. But the Bengals may hesitate to keep giving Brown over 23 touches per game, freeing up Moss to see early-down work. Even if Brown remains the bellcow, Moss is one of the top handcuffs to target in a Bengals' offense that averaged 27.8 points per game last season.

WR Andrei Iosivas - Bye Week Fill-in

Andrei Iosivas is poised to retain the Bengals' third receiver role behind newly extended star teammates Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. In his second season, Iosivas reeled in 36-of-61 targets for 479 yards and a healthy six touchdowns in Cincinnati's No. 1-ranked passing attack. Iosivas's 443 slot snaps ranked 7th, and (surprisingly) ran the 11th-most routes (560). That involvement is indicative of a player who has earned a real role in one of the league's top offenses. That makes Iosivas an excellent late-round fantasy depth target.

WR Ja'Marr Chase - Stud (low risk)

Fresh off a historic Triple Crown season, Chase remains the premier fantasy wideout. With Joe Burrow healthy and Tee Higgins re-signed, defenses can't focus solely on him. The Bengals had one of the most explosive passing games in the league, and they made no changes to the staff or players involved in the passing game. Expect elite volume, red-zone dominance, and explosive plays. He's the consensus WR1 and a strong candidate for the No. 1 overall pick in PPR formats.

WR Tee Higgins - Solid/Safe Pick

Tee Higgins quietly delivered an elite 2024 season when on the field, finishing sixth among wide receivers in fantasy points per game (18.5) despite missing five contests due to injury. He set career highs in touchdowns (10) and was a top-20 fantasy scorer in seven of his 12 games. Cincinnati once again leaned heavily on the pass, especially near the goal line, where Higgins thrived—his eight end-zone targets from inside the 3-yard line ranked second in the league, producing four scores. The Bengals return the same offensive core, and Higgins remains locked in as a starting outside receiver opposite Ja'Marr Chase. His touchdown upside and target share remain strong as long as he remains healthy.

TE Mike Gesicki - Quality Backup

Re-signing with the Bengals was the best-case fantasy scenario for Mike Gesicki. With a new 3-year, $25 million deal, Gesicki returns to a loaded Cincinnati offense. Gesicki was top-10 in catches (65) and yards (665) last year on a lowly 46.3 percent snap rate (46th among TEs). Cincinnati threw the second-most passes per game (41.2) and still has plenty of questions on defense. That will lead to more opportunities out of the slot for Gesicki to continue to post quality TE2 numbers.