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With the preseason in full swing, NFL power rankings are beginning to carry more weight than they did for most of the offseason.
Now that we're able to see all 32 teams in action, it's getting easier to separate the contenders from the pretenders. Though, it is just the preseason and nothing will matter that happened in August once September rolls around.
Few are questioning the Bengals as being contenders in 2016, but their onslaught of injuries has them trending downward.
You just can't lose guys like William Jackson III, Tyler Eifert, Tyler Kroft, Cedric Ogbuehi, Darqeuze Dennard, and possibly Brandon LaFell to injury, and expect to not take at least a slight step back.
Despite all of this, ESPN is still very high on the Bengals. In their most recent power rankings, ESPN has Cincinnati coming in as the seventh-best team.
7. Cincinnati Bengals
2015 record: 12-4
Post-draft ranking: No. 7
The Bengals, of all teams, have been a model of consistency under coach Marvin Lewis and QB Andy Dalton. They have made the playoffs in five straight seasons ... and they've lost in the first round in five straight seasons.
Even with all of the Bengals' losses, the fact is the rest of the AFC suffered major losses as well. The Broncos are the defending Super Bowl champs, but they lost so many key players that few seem to doubt the Bengals being the better team now.
The two teams ahead of Cincinnati in the AFC — Pittsburgh at No. 6 and New England at No. 3 — arguably lost more than they gained this year. All of this would seemingly have the Bengals in good position to make a run at winning the AFC and getting to the Super Bowl.
The real question will be can they overcome all of these injuries and avoid a slow start during a brutal first half of their regular-season schedule.
If they can just make it to their bye week with a winning record — even if it's just by a game or two — they'll be in good shape to make it to the playoffs.
Here is a look at the full ESPN power rankings heading into the second week of the preseason:
1. Seattle Seahawks
2. Arizona Cardinals
3. New England Patriots
4. Green Bay Packers
5. Carolina Panthers
6. Pittsburgh Steelers
7. Cincinnati Bengals
8. Denver Broncos
9. Kansas City Chiefs
10. Minnesota Vikings
11. Oakland Raiders
12. Baltimore Ravens
13. Dallas Cowboys
14. Indianapolis Colts
15. New York Jets
16. Houston Texans
17. New York Giants
18. Washington Redskins
19. Atlanta Falcons
20. Jacksonville Jaguars
21. Chicago Bears
22. New Orleans Saints
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
24. Buffalo Bills
25. Philadelphia Eagles
26. Miami Dolphins
27. Detroit Lions
28. San Diego Chargers
29. Los Angeles Rams
30. Tennessee Titans
31. Cleveland Browns
32. San Francisco 49ers