:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72541772/1460656470.0.jpg)
After coming within a field goal of a Super Bowl appearance last year, the Cincinnati Bengals will look to return to the mountaintop led by their franchise quarterback Joe Burrow. Ahead of a looming contract extension, we’re breaking down what you can expect from a fantasy perspective for the Bengals signal-caller.
2023 Fantasy Football: Joe Burrow Profile
Recap of 2022 season
Burrow put together the first Pro Bowl season of his career after throwing for 4,475 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions with a 68.3 completion percentage in 2022. In leading the Bengals to a 12-4 record, Cincinnati punched their ticket to back-to-back AFC Championship games before falling to the Kansas City Chiefs. Burrow finished fourth among all fantasy quarterbacks with 369.0 total fantasy points and 21.7 per game.
Updated Bengals outlook
Not much has changed when it comes to offensive personnel, which is a promising sign after Cincinnati finished seventh in scoring (26.1 ppg). Samaje Perine departed for the Denver Broncos while Hayden Hurst joined the Carolina Panthers. The Bengals added offensive tackle, Orlando Brown, giving Burrow some much-needed reinforcements when it comes to pass protection.
Best-case scenario
If the Bengals' offense doesn’t miss a beat in the 2023 season, the outlook is bright for fantasy managers that have Burrow on the roster. Cincinnati averaged the sixth-most pass attempts per game (38.1) last season while ranking top-5 in passing yards per game (265.0). As long as Zac Taylor continues to have trust in his franchise quarterback, it’s safe to say Burrow should be in for another top-5 fantasy season for a signal-caller.
Worst-case scenario
It’s hard to envision Burrow, in his fourth season with a talented arsenal around him, struggling to get the ball to his best players. With that established, the only scenario that could throw a wrench into his season is suffering a major injury, which can’t be ruled out given that Burrow suffered the sixth-most sacks (41) of all quarterbacks last season. Poor pass protection, leading to a major injury, is the worst-case scenario.
Prediction
There is a brewing rivalry between the Chiefs and Bengals, and the NFL as well as fantasy football is better for it. If Burrow hopes to punch his ticket back to the Super Bowl, he knows the path runs through Kansas City. With a chip on his shoulder, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him finish in the top-3 among quarterbacks in fantasy scoring, with an average of 25.0-plus fantasy points per game.