Quarterback · Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow — 2026 Fantasy Outlook
Analysis by Shawn Childs, from his 2026 guide — his words, unedited.
The case
- · When on the field for 16 games or more over the past five years, Burrow delivered 36, 40, and 45 combined touchdowns.
- · Ja’Marr Chase is one of the best wide receivers in the game.
- · The Bengals led the NFL in completions (460) and pass attempts (652) in 2024, but Burrow missed nine games last season.
- · Cincinnati’s running backs (87/533/4 on 111 targets) and tight ends (98/876/7 on 129 targets) are active in their passing game.
- · Fantasy overall and league championships were won with Bengals’ offensive players in 2024.
Question marks
- · Burrow has been a fantasy bust twice over the past three seasons due to missing 16 games between 2023 and 2025.
- · Can Tee Higgins stay on the field for 17 games? He’s missed 12 contests over the past three years. On the positive side, Higgins scored 21 times in 2024 and 2025.
- · Cincinnati had one of the worst defenses in the NFL last year, which is a win for Burrow’s passing opportunity if repeated. The Bengals address their defense via the draft and free agency in the offseason.
Shawn's conclusion
I’ve been a fantasy fan of Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, but have yet to get paid with a great season from both of one of my fantasy teams. Home run type swing, and his price point makes him relatively easy to pair with Ja’Marr Chase. I have to have one of these combos again this year. A double stack with Tee Higgins is also viable.
More on Burrow
Burrow's 2023 season was over before it really began. He opened the year battling a calf issue, completing just 57.6% of his passes while gaining only 4.8 yards per attempt over his first four games (728 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions). A two-game stretch offered some hope (513 combined yards and five scores), and he appeared to be rounding back into form over the following three weeks (326/3, 352/2, 367/2 ~ 8.4 yards per attempt) before a wrist injury ended his season in Week 11.
The truncated year came on the heels of back-to-back elite seasons (4,729/36 in 2021 and 4,732/40 touchdowns, making Burrow’s 2023 injury all the more frustrating.
He returned in 2024 and picked up where his best football left off. Burrow set new career highs across the board (5,119 combined yards, 45 touchdowns) and posted seven games with 300 passing yards. Burrow averaged two touchdowns per week over his first eight games, with two standout performances (328/3 and 393/5), both at home.
The Bengals’ offense caught fire over a seven-game stretch (355 passing yards per game, 23 touchdowns, and four interceptions), highlighted by a pair of dominant outings in Week 10 (434/4) and Week 17 (437/4). Burrow finished second in quarterback scoring (436.60 fantasy points) in four-point passing touchdown formats, confirming his place among the elite at the position.
Cincinnati’s offensive line was a mess over its first four games last season, leading to 13 sacks and three poor scoring games (CLE – 17, MIN – 10, and DEN – 3) on the road. Unfortunately, Burrow was lost for 10 games, 30% into Week 2, when he suffered a toe injury that required surgery. Over his final six starts, the Bengals’ star quarterback averaged 276 combined yards and 2.5 scores per game (24.17 fantasy points), making him a top-five quarterback if his success were repeated for a full year.
If Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Burrow could stay healthy for 17-games, Cincinnati has the offensive weapons to lead the NFL in scoring, putting a 5,000-yard passing season within reach with 40+ touchdowns. Unfortunately, that combination of healthy players hasn’t happened over the past six seasons.
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