Bengals' Playmaker Group Ranked Among NFL's Three Best Collections Entering 2026 NFL Season

ESPN's Bill Barnwell dropped his latest annual ranking of all 32 NFL team playmaker cores and the Bengals took one of the top spots. He has the Cincinnati attack group ranked third overall in the NFL, only behind the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions.

Cincinnati has arguably the best wide receiver duo in the league, a top 10 running back, and a top five quarterback just about anyway you slice it.

Elite Weapon Group

Oct 26, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown (30) celebrates scoring a touchdown with tight end Drew Sample (89) and wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) during the second quarter against the New York Jets at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

"As you already know, the Bengals are the only team in the NFL that can credibly say it has two WR1-caliber talents anchoring the offense," Barnwell wrote. "In Ja'Marr Chase, the Bengals have a first-team All-Pro each of the past two seasons with an annual case to lead the league in any (or every) receiving category. Chase's big-play rate from 2024 inevitably regressed a little toward the mean in 2025, but there's no wide receiver in the NFL with a higher floor or ceiling. On a snap-by-snap basis, Tee Higgins has a solid case as a mid-tier WR1, particularly in the moments we've seen him without Chase on the field. Higgins has scored 21 touchdowns in 27 games over the past two seasons, and he ranked 11th in ESPN's receiver scores a year ago. The issue, frustratingly, is availability. Higgins missed five games in each of the 2023 and 2024 seasons, and while he was healthier in 2025, he was still sidelined for two contests. He hasn't played a full season since his rookie campaign in 2020. A 17-game season from Higgins would go a long way toward getting the 27-year-old back to the Pro Bowl for a second consecutive campaign.

"Chase Brown makes this a big three, although the Bengals are careful to limit his workload and haven't let their lead back top 240 carries in either of the past two campaigns. Brown's role as a receiver has grown; he garnered 88 targets last season on everything from slants out of the slot to shallow routes on mesh concepts to double moves. If he could do this with about 15% more workload, Brown would be a Pro Bowl contender in the AFC. After those three, well, good luck. Andrei Iosivas has been one of the least efficient receivers in the league, even when one of the players ahead of him has been absent. Tight end Mike Gesicki wasn't able to build on his resurgent 2024 campaign. Erick All Jr. quietly impressed early in his rookie season before missing the second half of 2024 and all of 2025 with a serious knee injury. Could the 25-year-old tight end be the player the Bengals need to make it to No. 1 on this list?"

Cincinnati could shoot up higher on this list next year based on factors outside these names as well.

A second-straight year with offensive line continuity should help that group keep improving and, consequently, give more open holes for Brown and more throwing time for Burrow.

Add in the potential for guys like Colbie Young and Jack Endries to make an impact at wide receiver/tight end, and you get one of the most intriguing groups of weapons in the NFL.

Check out the full ranking from Barnwell here.

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