Bengals Named One of 6 Early Super Bowl Sleepers For 2026 Season

The Bengals could make real noise in the NFL this coming season after a very strong offseason of improving their defense. Sports Illustrated's Matt Verdarame has them as one of the league's top sleepers to win the Super Bowl as we roll into June and beyond.

Cincinnati is in the middle of the pack in terms of title betting odds across most major sportsbooks.

They hold consensus 22-1 odds, ranking 14th in the NFL.

Sleeper Mix

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins makes a catch against Detroit Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin during the second half at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Bengals were one of six teams named in the list, including Green Bay, Chicago, Dallas, Pittsburgh, and Houston.

"When Joe Burrow is on the field, the Bengals are lethal. In 2022 and ’23, Burrow played 32 of a possible 34 games. In those years, Cincinnati reached the AFC title game twice, including a Super Bowl appearance," Verdarame wrote. "Since Burrow has played in only 35 of 51 games, and the Bengals haven’t made it to the postseason. Burrow will turn 30 in December, and a significant part of Burrow’s career should be ahead of him. One ring, and he’s a likely Hall of Famer, two things other great Bengals quarterbacks, Ken Anderson and Boomer Esiason, never achieved. But for Burrow to reach those benchmarks, he needs to play, and so does his defense. After finishing 25th in points and yards allowed in 2024, Cincinnati fired longtime coordinator Lou Anarumo and replaced him with Al Golden, who came over from Notre Dame. His first season went poorly, as the Bengals were 31st defensively (30th in scoring) and allowed 31-plus points in seven games.

"This offseason, general manager Duke Tobin made sweeping changes. Although former All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson left in free agency, Tobin sent a first-round pick to the Giants for nose tackle Dexter Lawrence II. Lawrence had just eight quarterback hits and a half sack in 2025, but in the three prior seasons, Lawrence made the Pro Bowl each time while totaling 65 quarterback hits and 21 sacks. Tobin also signed Cincinnati native and safety Bryan Cook, along with edge rusher Boye Mafe and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen. If the defense can gel with its infusion of talent and Burrow can maintain an upright posture, the Bengals are a threat to win the AFC North and more."

It basically boils down to health for this Bengals team. They are facing the third-easiest schedule in the NFL by both 2025 opponents' win rate and 2026 opponents' projected betting win totals.

The schedule is tailor-made to get ripped through by the best roster that's ever been put around, Burrow. That big if is health, Burrow has to stay upright, and the rest of the position groups have to avoid major depth injury hits.

Super Bowl contention is fully on the table should all that play out.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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