One of the biggest surprises that came out of the NFL this year is the boom in talent among the Cincinnati Bengals. The NFL odds were not expecting this change in performance, having gone from 4 wins total to reaching the AFC Championships.
Joe Burrow is the main character in this story of a lifetime, but there are 6 other players that we want to celebrate too. Today, we’ll be discussing these unexpectedly amazing players and their rankings.
7th Ranked Player – Jessie Bates III
Jessie Bates III has had a rollercoaster career with the Cincinnati Bengals. At points, he was classed among the elites, other times, he was simply average, and there were moments when we covered our eyes when he played.
In recent games, Bates has pushed past his rookie mistakes, pulling up his average interceptions to 65!
6th Ranked Player – Tee Higgins
Tee Higgins might have been a rookie in 2020, but he was playing like a seasoned pro. He led the team forward with a 908 receiving yards total!
This last season, Higgins was able to wow the crowds again, having reached a 1091 yard receiving during the season. He even completed 6 touchdowns!
As his numbers keep growing, we expect more and more to come out of Tee and cannot wait to see what happens next.
5th Ranked Player – Logan Wilson
Logan Wilson’s introduction to the Cincinnati Bengals has been just what they needed. Before Wilson came along, the team had recorded 33 tackles total, but those numbers have more than tripled with this new tower of a player.
The team achieved 100 tackles this season, and they reached that feat while missing 4 games!
Wilson is earning the nickname “clutch”, and he was the best pick that the Cincinnati Bengals could have chosen. This linebacker has given the team the defence they needed.
We expect to see more of Wilson now his talent has been proven.
4th Ranked Player – Joe Mixon
It’s not just the Cincinnati Bengal fans that are singing Mixon’s praises. Everyone watching the last season can see the amazing power coming out of this running back.
In fact, many people are saying that Joe Mixon is the best running back during this NFL season.
He finished the games with a whopping 1,203 rushing yards to his name! This defensive player has been a growing star every second of the games.
Mixon is more than a defensive man, though, having caught 42 passes during his first Pro Bowl season, reaching an outstanding 314 receiving yard total.
3rd Ranked Player – Trey Hendrickson
Trey Hendickson joined the team off season. His antics with the New Orlean Saints were so impressive that Cincinnati Bengals snapped him up when they could.
With his old team, Hendrickson recorded 13.5 sacks, but he managed to top that number up to 14.0 when he joined the Cincinnati Bengals. This brings his all time total to an amazing 34.
His reputation is growing rapidly with his team members and his fans!
2nd Ranked Player – Joe Burrow
Okay, okay, we can see the steam coming off your head. Yes, Joe Burrow is an amazing player, but we think it’s time to give someone else the number one spot.
Burrow is, without a doubt, the reason why the Cincinnati Bengals were able to climb to such heights. We cannot deny how important he was during the season. He could even be named as the best quarterback of his age group. The young lad deserves all the praise he can get!
He finished his rookie season with 14 interceptions, 4,611 yard for his throwing record, and 34 touchdowns! Those are numbers that most season players cannot reach.
With such amazing stats, you might be wondering who could possibly be in our number one spot.
1st Ranked Player – Ja’Marr Chase
When Ja’Marr Chase was picked in the 2021 NFL draft, the other team members, players and staff were confused. He wasn’t seen as the best pick. Burrow was their number one man, and they needed someone to protect him. Penei Sewell would have been the best option.
But boy, was everyone wrong. Chase was a former teammate of Burrow during their college games and knew just how to protect his old buddy. With this duo together, the Cincinnati Bengals went from an average of 19.4 points to 27.1! That’s almost a 50% increase!
With Chase in the game, the team has been balanced out. Attack and defense are just as strong as the other.
Summary
We cannot ignore the extraordinary power that Joe Burrow has, and he will always be known as a top player, but there is more to the NFL than just attack. Ja’Marr Chase has been the defense that the Cincinnati Bengals needed. Now they are whole.
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