The Bengals continue to rise in the rankings, but they still aren't quite atop their division going into OTAs.
The 2026 NFL season is just 16 weeks away, and with the official schedule release for all 32 teams, the stock continues to rise for the Cincinnati Bengals. After completely revamping the worst defense in the league from last season, head coach Zac Taylor is ready to prove that his brilliance, which led to back-to-back AFC Championship appearances, has not left him.
It’s no secret that this team has drastically underachieved over the last three seasons. Zero playoff appearances in that stretch with superstar quarterback Joe Burrow at the helm is unacceptable, and their 6-11 record last season sparked the debates of what needs to happen to get the Bengals back to Super Bowl contention.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) | © Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORKGeneral manager Duke Tobin silenced all the doubters by turning this team around in terms of roster reconstruction. That has not gone unnoticed, and several fans and analysts alike believe this team is capable of going from missing the playoffs straight to AFC Championship contention. After seeing how the Bengals’ schedule will be this season, there is real reason for optimism around Cincinnati becoming AFC North champions for the first time since 2022.
Ralph Vacciano with FOX Sports put in his two cents for every team in the NFL, and his rankings of the AFC North teams may come as a surprise to many.
He has the Bengals slotted at the 11th spot, rising two ranks because of them playing just two 2025 playoff teams in the final 14 weeks. The surprising aspect comes from his fifth-place ranking of the Baltimore Ravens, who he notes won’t be tested until they face Cincinnati in Week 7 at M&T Bank Stadium.
After missing the playoffs for three straight seasons, it’s difficult to make an argument for another team to be better than the Bengals because they haven’t proven anything yet. However, to simultaneously make the claim that the Ravens, who also missed the playoffs in 2025, are going to be the fifth-best team in the entire NFL next season is quite the statement.
Cincinnati fans shouldn’t be focused on the, potentially outrageous, ranking of the Ravens. They should be thrilled that so many people are so high on their favorite team going into the season. At the end of the day, a healthy Burrow can take this team as high as any other team in the NFL. After playing in just eight games last season because of turf toe, there is every reason to believe that he can put up another MVP-caliber season as he did in 2024.