Mitchell Tinsley Shines With Two Touchdowns, Emerging as Bengals Preseason Sleeper

Wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley scored two touchdowns in the Bengals’ preseason win over Washington, putting himself firmly on the roster bubble and fantasy football radar.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley (82) catches a touchdown pass over Washington Commanders cornerback Car'lin Vigers (22) during the first half at Northwest Stadium. | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Last night in the Cincinnati Bengals/Washington Commanders’ preseason game, Mitchell Tinsley played his way onto the fantasy football map. He caught five of his six targets for 73 yards and two touchdowns, both coming via a pass from Jake Browning. His highlighted catches were impressive, prompting further research to understand his background.

MITCHELL TINSLEY IS PUTTING ON A SHOW 🔥

TD grabs on back-to-back drives for the @Bengals❗️ pic.twitter.com/GV3BsnHXYZ

— ESPN (@espn) August 19, 2025

Mitchell Tinsley's Journey To NFL Relevance

The Commanders signed Tinsley as an undrafted free agent after the 2023 NFL Draft. He started his college career at Hutchinson Community College (57/656/4) in 2019, leading to an offer to earn snaps over two seasons for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. After secondary receiving role (43/377/4), Tinsley turned in a highlight year over 14 games (87/1,402/14) at age 21. His success earned him one season of action at Penn State (51/577/5).

In his rookie season in the NFL, Tinsley made Washington’s opening day roster, but he only saw the field for three snaps all year. The Commanders kept him on their practice squad in 202. Cincinnati took a flier on him last February by signing him to a future contract. 

In the Bengals’ first preseason game. Tinsley caught his only target for 15 yards, also from Browning, in the second quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Coming into the NFL, Tinsley showcased what he accomplished in his big preseason game – jump baller, with great hands and the ability to win in tight quarters. He brings below-par NFL speed while lacking the route running or quickness to win against the best cornerbacks in pro ball. His willingness to block and desire to improve could lead to him earning front-runner snaps when Cincinnati plays from the lead in the fourth quarter. 

Mitchell Tinsley 2025 Fantasy Football Outlook

For Tinsley to offer any fantasy value, he must jump Jermaine Burton on the Bengals’ wide receiver depth chart, who has been battling an unknown injury over the past week or so.

Charlie Jones only had one catch for five yards last year while missing nine games with a lingering groin issue. The combination of Isaiah Williams, Kendric Pryor, and Cole Burgess isn’t very high (three combined NFL catches for 15 yards). The latter two also signed a future contract last year, while Williams returned some kicks for Cincinnati in 2023 and the Lions last year.

Tinsley lacks an NFL resume, but he has a reasonable shot of making the Bengals’ opening day roster this season. If Cincinnati has any wide receiver injuries, he should get the best chance of his career to catch passes in the NFL, possibly drawing waiver attention in the fantasy market.