With the 2024 NFL season ready to get underway, the Bengals find themselves ready to return to contending form. Cincinnati opens up its campaign at Paycor Stadium against the New England Patriots on Sunday, Sept. 8, at 1 p.m..
Highest Ranking: 4
Lowest Ranking: 9
Average: 6.16
Joe Burrow is back, which means the Bengals are back. He has to stay on the field, but if he does they are a Super contender.
Well, the cat of prey is out of the bag now: I picked the Bengals to win the Super Bowl, one of two on staff to do so. (Thanks for keeping me company, Gennaro!) First, some explaining: Why do I have them sixth? Well, clearly, the Bengals are needing to rebound from 9-8 and Joe Burrow's season-ending injury. My hope is for a formula that somewhat mimics what the Lions have executed: great on offense, opportunistic on defense. Many of the ingredients were there in 2023. If Cincy can keep Burrow upright and see any measurable improvement on D, these Bengals can get there. Am I buttering both sides of the bread by ranking them sixth and having them win it all? That's for you, dear reader, to decide.
The Athletic's win projections have the Bengals at 10.2 victories this season, the second-highest total in the AFC. So why is Cincinnati ninth on this list? They've just kind of fallen off the radar. That could change quickly, though. The Bengals play New England, Washington and Carolina this month, and they have the fifth-easiest schedule in the league this season.
The Bengals are mostly healthy. Joe Burrow is back and looking as good as ever. The schedule looks like a relative cakewalk by NFL standards. The Bengals have legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.
Burrow is back, and he told Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated his right arm feels better than ever.
"I had a lot of time coming back to think about checks against certain defenses that I like," Burrow said. "That's been a big emphasis for me over the last month and a half. I'm seeing things really well right now. The throwing part is getting better and better, each day the more reps that I get. My arm is really strong down the field right now, which I'm really happy with. That was the one thing I was worried about with this injury. I would say it's as strong as it's been in that department."
With a healthy Burrow, many have the Bengals listed as potential Super Bowl contenders.
NFL prediction makers could all be doomed by our desire to see Joe Burrow return to the top of the NFL. I know that life watching this game is better when he's healthy and torching Cover 2. Based on my initial 272-game projection, I have Cincinnati winning the AFC North and squeezing into the No. 1 seed just above the still-superior but somewhat slogging Chiefs. Like Green Bay, it's a big swing, and we're planning on a lot of factors hitting at once. Burrow's return is one. The realignment of the defensive line is another. I think we've forgotten how good they can be at full power.
See which players made the Bengals 53-man roster for the 2024 season.

WR Ja'Marr Chase

K Evan McPherson

WR Tee Higgins

QB Jake Browning

P Ryan Rehkow

QB Joe Burrow

WR Charlie Jones

WR Trenton Irwin

CB DJ Turner II

CB Mike Hilton

S Geno Stone

S Dax Hill

S Vonn Bell

S Tycen Anderson

S Jordan Battle

CB Josh Newton

CB Cam Taylor-Britt

HB Chase Brown

RB Zack Moss

RB Trayveon Williams

CB Daijahn Anthony

LB Maema Njongmeta

LS Cal Adomitis

LB Joe Bachie

DE Cedric Johnson

LB Logan Wilson

LB Germaine Pratt

DE Joseph Ossai

LB Akeem Davis-Gaither

G Jackson Kirkland

G Cody Ford

C Matt Lee

C Ted Karras

G Alex Cappa

G Cordell Volson

DT McKinnley Jackson

OT Amarius Mims

OT Orlando Brown Jr.

OT Trent Brown

WR Andrei Iosivas

WR Jermaine Burton

TE Erick All

TE Tanner McLachlan

TE Tanner Hudson

TE Mike Gesicki

TE Drew Sample

DT Kris Jenkins Jr.

DE Trey Hendrickson

DT B.J. Hill

DE Sam Hubbard

DE Zach Carter

DT Jay Tufele

DT Sheldon Rankins