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CINCINNATI, OHIO - DECEMBER 14: Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals looks on after being sacked during the first quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Paycor Stadium on December 14, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
There’s no denying that Joe Burrow is the key that makes the car drive for the Cincinnati Bengals.
When he’s able to stay healthy, he is easily one of the best QBs in the league. However, sometimes, his ability isn’t enough to carry a team. Take 2024 for example. Burrow threw for almost 5,000 yards, 43TDs, and 9INTs. All of that was for not, as the Bengals missed the playoffs.
Still, Burrow is absolutely a need for the Bengals to make noise in 2026, and even if they want to have a “dream season”.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – NOVEMBER 27: Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals looks on after the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on November 27, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Bleacher Report shared Burrow’s role in a potential dream season in 2026 for the Cincinnati Bengals.
“Joe Burrow finally has a completely healthy season and the four-headed offensive monster delivers throughout a division-winning campaign as the Bengals return to the Super Bowl contender picture.”
The main question is obviously Joe Burrow’s health. Burrow has only had 2 fully-healthy seasons out of 6 total. Last season, he appeared in only 10 games in a year where Cincinnati missed the playoffs.
The Bengals played their most-recent playoff game on January 23rd, 2023. It was the AFC Championship game in which they fell to the Kansas City Chiefs by a score of 23-20. In 2026, the Bengals are dead-set on returning to the playoffs, looking to make another Super Bowl run like they did in 2021.
For that to happen, Joe Burrow must be on the field.
GettyCINCINNATI, OHIO – DECEMBER 28: Dylan Fairchild #63 of the Cincinnati Bengals is introduced prior to a game against the Arizona Cardinals at Paycor Stadium on December 28, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images)
Fairchild was the 81st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to Cincinnati. He was named the starting left guard for the Bengals before his rookie season, and made the PFF and ESPN All-Rookie teams in 2025.
Brent Sobleski sees the vision with Fairchild, and named him the Bengals’ “best-kept secret”.
“The Cincinnati Bengals knew Dylan Fairchild wasn’t a finished product when the organization chose him in the third round of last year’s draft. The 6’5″, 318-pound interior blocker entered the professional ranks as a raw yet explosive powerhouse. While rough patches were seen during Fairchild’s rookie campaign, the arrow is pointing up for what could be a stellar career.
‘From Week 13 onward, he slotted in as the 11th-best pass-blocking guard (78.5), with only eight pressures allowed over the six-game stretch,’ Pro Football Focus’ Ben Cooper noted.
Fairchild is an excellent athlete with the type of power to consistently displace defenders. With Orlando Brown Jr., Ted Karras and Dalton Risner getting older, the second-year blocker will likely develop into the centerpiece of Cincinnati’s front five.”
The most important thing for the Bengals in 2026 is Joe Burrow’s health, as it is every other season. Dylan Fairchild obviously plays a major role in that.
Brevan Bane Brevan Bane is a sports scribe covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals. Brevan began his writing career by making a platform on Twitter and leveraging his presence into writing and content creation opportunities for outlets like PurplePTSD, Vikings Territory, The Noise, Hockey Wilderness, and the VikesNow YouTube channel. You can follow him on X @brevmanbane. More about Brevan Bane
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