The Bengals are coming off an impressive season that saw them clinch the AFC North title for the second consecutive year. After staring off 0-2, they turned things around very quickly and ended up with a 12-4 record, matching their best-ever franchise performance in a single season. Cincy ended up making it to the AFC Championship where they lost to the eventual Super Bowl champs Kansas City.
Entering their fifth year under Zac Taylor, the Bengals used the offseason to shore up protection for QB Joe Burrow with the signing of offensive tackle Orlando Brown. They also lost TE Hayden Hurst and RB Samaje Perine, but they shouldn’t have any trouble in those positions with the likes of Irv Smith and Joe Mixon at the top of the depth chart.
Here’s a look at the depth chart for the 2023 Cincinnati Bengals ahead of your fantasy football drafts.
Bengals depth chart 2023
With plenty of talent on the offensive side, the Bengals could be poised to make another deep run in the playoffs this year with the likes of QB Joe Burrow, RB Joe Mixon, and a slew of top wide receivers in Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd. The addition of Orlando Brown should go a long way after signing him to a four-year, $64 million contract as he was by far the best left tackle option on the market.
Irv Smith looks to be the frontrunner to take over as the starting TE after the departure of Hayden Hurst. Hurst spent just one year in Cincinnati before signing with the Carolina Panthers earlier in the 2023 offseason. Smith signed for the Bengals just a few days later after playing behind TJ Hockenson in Minnesota. He wasn’t utilized a whole lot last season, seeing just 36 targets. He caught 25 of those for 182 yards and two touchdowns and will hope to make a big impact in Cincinnati.
On the other side of the ball, the Bengals signed the likes of edge rusher Tarell Basham and CB Sidney Jones, but they’ll likely stay further down the depth chart behind draftees Myles Murphy and DJ Turner. Sam Hubbard and Trey Hendrickson will reprise their roles as the edge starters, though Murphy should see plenty of time on the field especially in earlier downs.
Bengals Full 2023 Depth Chart
| Position | Starter | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Starter | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| QB | Joe Burrow | Trevor Siemian | Jake Browning | |
| RB | Joe Mixon | Chase Brown | Trayveon Williams | Chris Evans |
| WR | Ja’Marr Chase | Charlie Jones | Trent Taylor | Malachi Carter |
| WR | Tee Higgins | Trenton Irwin | Stanley Morgan | Mac Hippenhammer |
| WR | Tyler Boyd | Andrei Iosivas | Kwamie Lassiter | |
| TE | Irv Smith Jr. | Mitchell Wilcox | Drew Sample | Devin Asiasi |
| LT | Orlando Brown | Jonah Williams | Jackson Carman | D’Ante Smith |
| LG | Cordell Volson | Max Scharping | Nate Gilliam | |
| C | Ted Karras | Trey Hill | Ben Brown | |
| RG | Alex Cappa | Hakeem Adeniji | ||
| RT | Jonah Williams | La’el Collins | Jackson Carman | Cody Ford |
| LDE | Sam Hubbard | Myles Murphy | Cam Sample | Raymond Johnson III |
| LDT | DJ Reader | Josh Tupou | Domenique Davis | |
| RDT | BJ Hill | Zach Carter | Jay Tufele | Devonnsha Maxwell |
| RDE | Trey Hendrickson | Joseph Ossai | Jeff Gunter | |
| WLB | Logan Wilson | Joe Bachie | Tarell Basham | Shaka Heyward |
| MLB | Germaine Pratt | Jaylen Moody | ||
| SLB | Akeem Davis-Gaither | Markus Bailey | Keandre Jones | Owen Carney |
| LCB | Chidobe Awuzie | DJ Turner II | Sidney Jones IV | DJ Ivey |
| SS | Nick Scott | Jordan Battle | Brandon Wilson | |
| FS | Dax Hill | Michael Thomas | Tycen Anderson | Yusuf Corker |
| RCB | Cam Taylor-Britt | Mike Hilton | Jalen Davis | Allan George |
| PK | Evan McPherson | |||
| P | Drue Chrisman | Brad Robbins | ||
| H | Drue Chrisman | Brad Robbins | ||
| PR | Trent Taylor | Tyler Boyd | ||
| KR | Charlie Jones | Trayveon Williams | Chris Evans | |
| LS | Cal Adomitis |