Despite having a franchise quarterback in Joe Burrow, injuries and a subpar defense have held the Cincinnati Bengals back, as they have gone under their win total in eight of the last 10 seasons. Last season, Cincinnati clinched the under in Week 12, the second-fastest team to hit that bar.
Since reaching the Super Bowl after the 2021 season, the Bengals have entered every subsequent season with top-two odds to win the AFC North, top-six odds in the AFC and top-10 odds to win a Super Bowl championship. Having recently signed Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to long-term contracts, the time is now for Cincinnati to put it all together. Zac Taylor is the only returning coach in the division. -- Kevin Pulsifer
Note: Odds by DK Sports
and subject to change.
2026 outlook: Schedule is favorable, but issues remain
Can a healthy Joe Burrow and defensive additions (Dexter Lawrence II, Boye Mafe, Bryan Cook) propel the Bengals back to the playoffs and, perhaps, a deep postseason run? Those two factors alone have me unconvinced, as the defense and pass protection remain question marks. But there is another factor working in the Bengals' favor -- the schedule. The Bengals have the easiest schedule in the NFL, according to ESPN's Football Power Index. That's why the Bengals, FPI's 12th-ranked team heading into the season, are the model's fourth-most likely team to reach the playoffs. -- Seth Walder
Best bet: Chase Brown 10+ rushing TDs (+450)
This is a bet on the aforementioned schedule. I think the Bengals are going to be winning games and scoring touchdowns. And the result? A massive year for Brown. Give me all the varieties of this bet: Brown over 5.5 rushing touchdowns (-125), 10+ rushing touchdowns (+450) and even a little bit on Brown to lead the league in rushing touchdowns (50-1). -- Walder
