Cincinnati Bengals Preview: Joe Burrow-Ja'Marr Chase Connection Will Break Records

The Cincinnati Bengals are once again poised to light up the fantasy football world in 2025. With Ja’Marr Chase and Joe Burrow anchoring one of the league’s most explosive offenses, and rising contributors like Chase Brown offering high-upside value, Cincinnati’s core is packed with league-winning potential. Whether you're targeting studs or avoiding traps, this breakdown will help you navigate each key player’s outlook and fantasy impact this season.

Foundation Stud

Ja’Marr Chase, Wide Receiver

As is the nature of fantasy sports, players coming off top-ranking seasons move to the front of the ADP line the following season. Chase was an absolute beast in 2024, leading to career highs in catches (127), receiving yards (1,708), touchdowns (17), and targets (175). Despite his greatness, he gained over 100 yards in only five games, but three of those outcomes (10/193/2, 11/264/3, and 14/177/2) alone would have ranked 51st in fantasy points (141.80) in PPR formats.

Ja’Marr Chase had one of the greatest seasons in NFL history in 2024 💰🔥 pic.twitter.com/lTwOdNYOXB
— Football’s Greatest Moments (@FBGreatMoments) August 5, 2025

The Bengals have an elite quarterback with a high-volume passing attack. Their top four offensive players rank highly at their position this draft season, setting up another exciting run for fantasy teams that build around them. Chase has increased his catch total and targets each year in the NFL while riding a four-year streak with over 1,000 yards receiving.

Next 5,000-Yard Passer

Joe Burrow, Quarterback

In 2019, at LSU, Burrow posted the greatest college quarterback season of all time. He passed for 5,671 yards (4th) with 60 touchdowns (2nd) and only six interceptions while completing 76.3% of his passes. Burrow also had value as a runner (115/368/5). His next step is running down Peyton Manning in passing yards (5,477) and passing touchdowns (55) in the NFL stat book.

Last year, Burrow finished with 460 pass completions, which was more than the number of passes attempted (448) by the Philadelphia Eagles. From Week 9 to Week 17, he averaged 32.05 fantasy points per game in four-point passing touchdown formats (2,744 combined yards with 28 touchdowns over eight games).

To post the best quarterback season in NFL history, he would have to repeat that outcome for another eight games (Burrow has the cushion of playing one more game than Peyton Manning in his electric season in 2013). By easy math, if the Bengals’ offense does click again in 2025, there will be a cash register full of fantasy points being paid out weekly.

Overlooked Stud

Chase Brown, Running Back

Once the Bengals’ offense started clicking at an elite level last season, Brown was an integral part of their offense. Cincinnati gave him 189 touches (23.6 per game) over his final eight games (missed Week 17 with an ankle injury), resulting in 881 combined yards with six touchdowns and 38 catches or 20.88 FPPG in PPR leagues.

His value in the passing game (54/360/4) helped his floor, but Brown must score more touchdowns to rank with the best running backs in overall fantasy points. As the eighth-ranked running back this year, his opportunity makes him a strong fantasy buy in this exciting offense.

Brown lacks length to his NFL resume, requiring him to prove himself to the fantasy market in the durability department. At the very least, a drafter should be trying to get a piece of the Bengals’ rushing attack, if they miss out on the Joe Burrow Passing Express.

Breakout year for Chase Brown!

Coach Zac Taylor here with some high praise and alllll his teammates I talked to say the same.

👀 pic.twitter.com/wFUaYQF78V
— Kay Adams (@heykayadams) August 5, 2025

Fade / Bust

Tee Higgins, Wide Receiver

I listed Higgins as one of my early-round wide receivers to avoid this week due to his propensity to miss time and his higher ADP this draft season. Based on my Picasso painting of Joe Burrow for 2025, I must keep an open mind about his possible outcome if he stays healthy this year. I like Higgins’ ceiling and potential, but a fantasy drafter must include the pitfalls in his profile before leaning into his home run upside.