Cincinnati Bengals Stars Projected As Top 10 Players Ahead of 2026 NFL Season

CINCINNATI — The team at Sports Illustrated dropped their top 10 projected players for the 2026 NFL season on Thursday, and three Bengals ended up making the 1-100 list.

Trey Hendrickson checked in at No. 100 on Tuesday, while Joe Burrow (ninth) and Ja'Marr Chase (third) made the top 10. Tee Higgins just missed the top 100 cutline. Gilberto Manzano and seven other SI writers contributed to the ranking.

Burrow's full body of work this decade has him cracking the final group of players.

"Burrow is coming off another rocky season due to injuries and a lack of help on defense," Manzano wrote. "Still, it’s hard for us to give up on possibly the best pocket passer in the NFL. Burrow’s game has a throwback feel, and his skill set resembles that of Tom Brady over more than two decades. Burrow won’t reach his full potential until he proves he can stay healthy.

"It’s been three years since Burrow has been in the playoffs and five since guiding the Bengals to the Super Bowl. Perhaps we’re giving Burrow too much credit for his early success, but, in 2024, he had an MVP-worthy season with a league-high 4,918 yards. In eight games this season, Burrow completed 66.8% of his passes for 1,809 yards, 17 touchdowns, and five interceptions."

Chase was once again an All-Pro wide receiver for the second-straight year after winning the receiving Triple Crown in 2024.

"Perhaps Chase got the edge over Nacua from our voters because his star quarterback is much younger, with Burrow being 29, and it’s not a total guarantee that 37-year-old Matthew Stafford is back in L.A. next season. Or maybe I’moverthinking it here," Manzano wrote. "After all, Chase is the most dangerous downfield playmaker in the NFL. There was a time when every team wanted the next Tyreek Hill, but that type of skill set is rare, and Chase has it and might be a better route runner than Hill. Teams know Burrow wants to hit Chase downfield, but there’s not much defenses can do to stop the connection. The dynamic star receiver has a three-year streak of at least 100 catches and 1,200 receiving yards."

Check out the full top 10 here, with Myles Garrett and Josh Allen the only players ranked higher than Ja'Marr Chase.

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