Bengals' 2026 Schedule Has Become Significantly Easier Since June

The Cincinnati Bengals' 2026 season is starting to look more favorable than it did just a few months ago.

Last Tuesday, Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis identified Cincinnati as a team whose schedule has undergone the largest shift toward easier games since June. The Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets ranked second and third, respectively.

The change isn't due to a schedule change. Instead, betting markets have grown increasingly pessimistic about several of the Bengals' scheduled opponents.

Betting Market Doesn't Love Several Bengals Opponents

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) adjusted his helmet on the sideline before taking the field in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 14 game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. The Bills overcame a halftime deficit to win 39-34. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Bengals are scheduled to play the Cleveland Browns twice, along with games against the Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. According to Sharp, those three teams are among the top four NFL teams whose win totals have been most bet against since June. As bettors continue to take the under on Cleveland, Miami, and Tampa Bay, the perceived difficulty of Cincinnati's schedule decreases.

That could be very important for a Bengals team seeking to return to the playoffs after another disappointing, injury-ravaged 2025 season.

Cincinnati already benefits from playing the Browns because the two teams are in the same division. If Miami and Tampa Bay also struggle to meet early-season expectations, the Bengals could have three more highly favorable opportunities to add wins to their schedule.

Of course, the betting-market movement doesn't guarantee how any team will perform once the season begins. Injuries, roster changes, and unexpected breakout performances can dramatically alter the outlook of a matchup.

Still, the shift is an encouraging development for Cincinnati. The Bengals have plenty of questions to answer entering the season, but a schedule trending easier could give them additional margin for error.

The Bengals still have to navigate an AFC North that is historically tough, with Cincinnati, the Baltimore Ravens, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Based on how the betting market has moved since June, however, their overall road might not be quite as challenging as it originally appeared.

3 largest shifts towards easier schedules since June:

1. Bengals
2. Raiders
3. Jets

Cincinnati faces the Browns twice, the Dolphins, and the Bucs this season.

Those three teams rank in the top four of teams whose win totals have been bet against the most since June.

As a…
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) July 28, 2026

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