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. A turf toe injury limited Joe Burrow to just 10 games played last season, and 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, and with Zac Taylor the only returning coach in the division, the time is now for Cincinnati to put it all together.

The 2026 outlook: the schedule is the easiest in the NFL per ESPN’s Football Power Index, making the Bengals the model’s fourth‑most likely team to reach the playoffs despite remaining concerns about defense and pass protection. Additions such as Dexter Lawrence II, Boye Mafe and Bryan Cook could help, but the biggest bet remains on Chase Brown to rush for 10+ touchdowns (+450), with supporting lines over 5.5 touchdowns (‑125) and a league‑leading rush title (50‑1).