Cincinnati faces a gauntlet containing breakout receiver Parker Washington and the NFL’s fastest running back. Neutralizing these explosive playmakers is vital to securing a crucial Week 4 victory.
Washington had one of the best training camps of any player in the NFL, seemingly becoming the Jaguars' #1 wide receiver well before the season started, usurping Brian Thomas Jr. and Jakobi Meyers in his fourth season.
He’s capitalized on a great camp as the Jaguars ' highest-graded offensive player per Pro Football Focus, racking up 15 catches and 221 yards with two touchdowns in three games. Trevor Lawrence has targeted Washington 22 times. In their recent win over the New England Patriots, Lawrence targeted Washington three straight times on end zone throws, connecting with him on the third and final target.
With uncertainty in the Bengals' secondary, as Bryan Cook is on the injury report and his status is TBD, slowing down Parker Washington has to be an emphasis.
Bhayshul Tuten
Tuten is in his first season as the Jaguars' feature back after moving on from Travis Etienne after he had a bounce-back 2025. According to Jamal St. Cyr on X, Tuten ranks second in RB success rate and 1st in 15+ mph run rate. He also has the highest top speed of any running back this season at 21.87 mph.
The Bengals rank top-10 in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game, giving up just 95.7 yards per contest. Tuten will be the best pure runner they have faced this season, just ahead of David Montgomery.
Josh Hines-Allen
Amarius Mims will have another chance to show he’s one of the best tackles in the NFL after allowing zero pressures through three games against talented pass rushers like Rueben Bain Jr., Will Anderson, and TJ Watt.
Josh Hines-Allen is in the same realm, or maybe a tier below, as those four, with 1.5 sacks through three games. He posted eight sacks in each of the last two seasons. He had 17.5 sacks in 2023 and has been a mainstay on the field in every season besides 2020, when he played just eight games.
Travis Hunter
Hunter is one of two corners in the NFL targeted multiple times in man coverage and allowed a 0.0 passer rating, joining Trent McDuffie of the Los Angeles Rams, per PFF.
The year-two jump has treated Hunter nicely, as he is much more focused on developing into a lockdown corner than on playing both sides of the ball. His usage on offense is way down compared to last season, with Hunter taking just 16 offensive snaps over three games.
