2025 Fantasy Football: Cincinnati Bengals Preview
Cincinnati needs to find more balance in 2025. Last year, they ranked 1st in pass yards per game and 30th in rush yards per game. In key situations, they did rank highly, as seen in their 5th ranking on 3rd downs and in the red zone, which helped lead them to a 6th-place finish in points per game.
QB: Joe Burrow
Burrow had the most pass attempts (652) and completions (460) last year, with the next closest having 584 attempts and 407 completions. Burrow started well last year with 15 TDs / 3 INTs in the first 8 games, but was phenomenal over the next 8 games with 27 TDs / 5 INTs while averaging 331 pass yards per game.
RB: Chase Brown
Brown didn’t start the year as the lead back but quickly evolved into it. He totaled 990 rushing yards and 7 TDs on 4.3 ypc. He also had 54 receptions for 360 yards and 4 TDs. He really heated up as a receiving option over his last 8 games with 38 / 299 / 3 coming over that span.
RB: Zack Moss
Moss came to Cincinnati after a good showing in Indianapolis in 2023 with almost 800 rushing yards and 5 TDs on 183 carries while averaging 4.3 ypc. He started the year as the lead back but quickly fell out of favor, mustering only 3.3 yards per carry over the first eight games before missing the rest of the season.
RB: Samaje Perine
Perine returns to Cincinnati in 2025 after playing with the Bengals from 2019 to 2022. His game has evolved over time as he has thrived in a receiving role over the last three years on three different teams, averaging 39 receptions for 355 yards during that period. Prior to last season, Perine averaged 67 carries for 295 yards (4.4 ypc) as a rusher from 2020 to 2023.
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 29: Ja’Marr Chase #1 of the Cincinnati Bengals runs the ball after a catch during the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on October 29, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
WR: Ja’Marr Chase
Chase was on his own level last season, leading the NFL in targets (175), receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708) and receiving TDs (17). The lack of having a complete, traditional backfield, combined with Tee Higgins missing 5 games, led to him seeing increased action with 30 more targets than his previous career-high (145) set the year prior.
WR: Tee Higgins
Higgins missed five games for the second straight season but still managed to put up stats on par with his best NFL seasons, including setting a new career high in TDs (10). There were only 4 other WRs with more TD receptions than Higgins in 2024, including his teammate Chase.
WR: Andrei Iosivas
Iosivas didn’t perform well in the first 10 games with 7 as a starter. Over those 10 games, he had an abysmal catch rate of 49%. When Higgins returned in mid-November, Iosivas fell back into a role better suited for him over the last seven games, in which he drew one start. Over the last 7 games, his catch rate was 73% with a stat line of 19 / 251 / 2.
WR: Jermaine Burton
Burton was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He has 1st round talent but showed character concerns in college that followed him into the pros. As a rookie, he caught 2 of his first 5 targets with each reception going for over 40 yards. The rest of the season saw him only catch 2 of 9 targets for 19 yards total.
If he doesn’t mature personally and professionally, then he’ll be an afterthought. However, if he can grow on and off the field, the Bengals will have their next stud receiver in the fold who could step up if Higgins continues to miss 5 games a year or Iosivas remains just a serviceable #3-type of receiver.
TE: Mike Geisicki
Geisicki has 1 missed game in his 7-year career, which occurred in 2020. Geisicki has spent the last 3 years on 3 different teams. His first year in Cincinnati brought back a resurgence in his play that hadn’t been displayed since 2019-2021 in Miami. He was targeted 83 times last year, which he turned into a statline of 65 / 665 / 2 with a career-high catch rate of 78.2%.
CINCINNATI, OHIO – NOVEMBER 03: Mike Gesicki #88 of the Cincinnati Bengals runs for a touchdown after a catch in the fourth quarter of a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Paycor Stadium on November 03, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
BREAKOUT PLAYER: Andrei Iosivas
Iosivas has a 59% career catch rate through 2 seasons, but has shown growth in that area over the last 7 games. It’ll carry over into 2025, and he’ll record 45 / 600 / 8.
BUST: Chase Brown
Brown was forced into the lead back role and performed admirably, but he’ll revert back this year and see his carries drop from 229 to below 180. His receptions will also drop, from 50 to between 35 and 40. He had 11 total TDs last year. That number will be cut nearly in half to 6 in 2025.
SLEEPER: Samaje Perine
Perine’s return to the Bengals will give them a back who can tote the ball 120+ times and not falloff, possibly improving over the starter’s yards per carry. He’ll also be able to contribute as a receiving option out of the backfield with 30+ receptions. He’ll total 600+ yards and 4 TDs as the primary backup to Brown.
BOLD PREDICTION: Mike Geisicki
Geisicki doesn’t miss time; he was the #2 receiving option when Higgins missed time and shattered his career-high in catch rate of 68.8%, which he set as a rookie, in his first year with Borrow, by almost 10% (78.3%). Now, in his second year in Cincinnati, he’ll hit 7/7/7 with 70 receptions / 700 receiving yards / 7 TDs.
