ESPN Ranks Cincinnati Bengals Playmakers Among NFL's Top Groups

A plethora of options.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) and wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) talk on the sideline in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 3 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Monday, Sept. 25, 2023. The Bengals beat the Rams, 19-16, improving to 1-2. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

CINCINNATI — ESPN's Bill Barnwell released his NFL team playmaker rankings this week and Cincinnati checked in at No. 3 among the whole league.

Only Detroit and Philadelphia ranked higher than the Bengals.

"The only things holding the Bengals back are the hamstrings of Tee Higgins," Barnwell wrote. "A healthy Higgins might be the best second wideout in football, but he has missed 10 games over the past two seasons, primarily because of hamstring and quad issues. He still managed 911 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns last season -- a reminder of how he can make an impact even with Chase on the field -- but it's disheartening to see such a talented player battle repeated hamstring injuries.

"There's a big drop-off to the rest of the roster, unsurprisingly. Mike Gesicki had a bounce-back season and averaged 1.7 yards per route run as a 'tight end,' but he scored only twice and hasn't been able to turn his 6-foot-6 frame into any sort of red zone production. Andrei Iosivas racked up 479 yards and six scores, but that's a product of running 34 routes per game in an explosive offense. He ranked 91st out of 95 qualifying wideouts in yards per route run and finished 151st in receiver score."

Cincinnati has the mixture to end up the best offense in the NFL once all 17 games are wrapped in January. The big question is that wide receiver health and offensive-line competence.

If Scott Peters can coach the latter group up to a just below average or average level, then the path to offensive supremacy is much clearer. Check out Barnwell's full thoughts here.

For more on the Bengals, subscribe to our YouTube Channel and watch the video below as part of our in-depth coverage of the team:

Make sure you bookmark BengalsTalk.com for the latest Bengals news, exclusive interviews, insight, film breakdowns and so much more!

You May Also Like:

DraftKings Names Several Famous Bengals Top-10 Trash Talkers This Century

Joe Burrow's Mom Tells Story About His Love for Fashion in Newest Quarterback Teaser

Andre Smith Tells Funny Story About Weight Fines During Bengals Career

ESPN Picks 10 Cincinnati Bengals For All-Time Draft Picks List

Bengals First Round Pick Shemar Stewart Didn't Sign Injury Waiver for One Big Reason

Pro Football Network Ranks Al Golden 14th Among NFL's Defensive Coordinators

Contextualizing Bengals QB Joe Burrow's 'Brutal' Blitz Numbers with Stats, Videos

Cincinnati Bengals Quarterback Joe Burrow Won't Get to Face Childhood Idol After 2025 Season

Stat of the Jay: With Chase Burns To Make MLB Debut for Reds Tonight, a Look at Top NFL Debuts by Bengals Players

'Sign It Or Go Scratch' - Shemar Stewart's Agent Provides Latest Update on Bengals Contract Negotiations

Look: Bengals Star Trey Hendrickson Training in Cincinnati With Training Camp One Month Away

Watch: Trailer, Air Date Announced For Joe Burrow's Appearance in Netflix Quarterback Show

Cincinnati Bengals Rookie Jalen Rivers Earns Major Praise From Pro Bowler Orlando Brown Jr.

Clock is Ticking: Cincinnati Bengals and Hamilton County Have Until June 30 to Agree on New Stadium Lease

'We're Worried About Them' - Anonymous Bengals Players Offer More Insight on Team's Family Treatment

Look: Cincinnati Bengals First Round Pick Shemar Stewart Wears Uniform for First Time

Stat of the Jay: ROH Finalist Max Montoya Ranks Third in Team History in Impressive Category

Germaine Pratt Deserved Better From the Bengals, but That Just Makes Him the Newest Member of a Large Club

Report: Cincinnati Bengals Releasing Veteran Defender Germaine Pratt

Cincinnati Bengals Should Bolster Roster By Signing Recently Released Veteran Jaire Alexander

Key Piece of Cincinnati Bengals' Failures Make List of Top Negative Narratives That Could Change in 2025

Cincinnati Bengals' Top Defenders Near Bottom of NFL in Latest Rankings

Vice President JD Vance Weighs in on Trey Hendrickson's Future, Contract Talks With Cincinnati Bengals

Look: Former Bengals Star Adam 'Pacman' Jones Releases Statement After Latest Arrest

Look: Bengals 2020s Draft Haul Ranked Among Bottom-Half of NFL Teams

Watch: Cincinnati Bengals Star Ja'Marr Chase Makes One-Handed Catch During Practice

NFL's Vice President of Broadcast Planning Mike North Weighs in on Cincinnati Bengals Schedule

ESPN's Bill Barnwell Gives Bengals Dubious Offseason Superlative Surrounding Trey Hendrickson

Watch: Bengals Stars Tee Higgins, and B.J. Hill Hit Gun Range Together During Offseason

Look: Joe Burrow Stands Alone In Key Passing Categories Over Past Few Seasons

Stat of the Jay: Where Does Bengals' Short Travel Schedule This Year Rank Historically?

It's Time for Cincinnati Bengals to Make Decision About Trey Hendrickson's Future

Takeaways From What Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson Said While Airing His Grievances at Bengals Practice

The Cincinnati Bengals Have Reason To Celebrate Finishing Last in the League When It Comes to This Stat

'Not Going To Apologize' - Trey Hendrickson Discusses His Market Value Amidst DE Contract Landscape

'It's Become Personal, Unfortunately' - Trey Hendrickson States He Won't Play During 2025 Season On Current Deal

Stat of the Jay: How Many Teams Have Longer International Droughts Than the Bengals at 6 Seasons?

-----

Join the 46,000+ Bengals fans who subscribe to us on YouTube.

Follow us on Twitter: @BengalsTalkSI

Like Our Facebook Page

Subscribe and follow the ONLY Daily Bengals Podcast

Follow on TikTok