Bengals oddly ranked in PFN Top 100

It is no secret that the Cincinnati Bengals are stocked with talent. From young contributors to veterans, both sides of the ball boast talented contributors. As we gear up for training camp, it is common to see rankings come out, and we have another one to dissect.

Pro Football Network’s Dalton Miller released his Top 100 Players in the NFL, and some of the rankings for Bengals players are... debatable.

Starting with franchise quarterback Joe Burrow, he didn’t even land in the Top 10. Granted, he is the second quarterback ranked behind Patrick Mahomes, who is No. 1 on the entire list.

“Although it’s probably unfair to consider Joe Burrow a pocket passer from a traditional perspective, he is one of the few who fit the modern mold of a pocket passer. Statues don’t exist anymore. The Mannings and Bradys and Riverses are no more. Burrow can still get himself into trouble against the rush, but he’s a wizard at escaping pressure, and his continued improvements in the quick-passing game have made that offense more efficient over the past few seasons. He’s deadly accurate and has enough gunslinger in him to allow his elite receivers to make plays.”

Seems like a bit of a snub, but we move on.

Wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase checks in at No. 47 and the sixth (!!) ranked receiver.

“Ja’Marr Chase is already one of the best wide receivers in the NFL today, and he’s still not nearly as clean a player as he could be. Chase has a long way to go as a route runner and nobody would confuse his hands for DeAndre Hopkins, but he’s a big-play threat every time he touches the ball.”

It is hard to see Chase outside of anyone’s top five after the two seasons he has put together. You have the likes of Davante Adams, Justin Jefferson and Tyreek Hill who certainly deserve a spot in the Top 5, but leaving Chase out seems crazy.

The final Bengal on the list is defensive tackle D.J. Reader, who comes in at No. 100.

“D.J. Reader missed a chunk of the 2022 NFL season, but that isn’t enough to bump him from the top 100. Reader has never splashed with high sack totals – he’s made a career collapsing the pocket while also being one of the most consistent run-defending defensive tackles in the NFL. No. 98 makes Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt’s jobs easier. And because Reader’s got enough pass-rushing juice to emit danger, he helps the edge rushers in their pursuit of the QB by occupying multiple defenders.”

Reader’s value was truly shown in the games he missed last season and with him fully healthy, he should be a force once again as he heads into the final year of his contract.

Oh, and no Tee Higgins in this ranking.

What do you think of the rankings? Let us know in the comments!