2023 NFL Odds Preview: Cincinnati Bengals Best Bets

The Cincinnati Bengals’ season ended in heartbreak in 2022, falling 23-20 in the AFC Championship to the Kansas City Chiefs. Locked, loaded and ready to rebound, the Bengals return as contenders. Is this their year to finally win it all? We looked at the Cincinnati Bengals’ odds and found three best bets heading into 2023.

Cincinnati most recently played in the Super Bowl two years ago, losing to the Los Angeles Rams. The Bengals almost went back last year. And in 2023, Cincinnati returns as a better team. The Bengals enter at +600 to win the AFC at DraftKings. We like Cincinnati to cash that.

The Bengals have more than compensated for the starters they lost in free agency. They brought in Sidney Jones and Nick Scott to fortify the secondary. The Bengals drafted Clemson EDGE Myles Murphy, complementing a strong front seven. And Cincinnati’s biggest acquisition, tackle Orlando Brown Jr., was one of the market’s hottest commodities. The Bengals had a strong summer.

The AFC will be tough, but Cincinnati’s recent AFC North dominance helps pave a path. Joe Burrow has solidified himself as a top-five quarterback. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins create one of the best one-two receiver punches in the NFL. Add in star running back Joe Mixon and Cincinnati spells trouble offensively for the rest of the AFC North.

Outside the division, Kansas City and Buffalo are the most likely challengers. We expect Buffalo to have a hard time improving on its 13-win 2022. And Burrow knows how to navigate a playoff matchup against the Chiefs. Trust the Bengals to win the AFC and beat the reigning champions along the way.

Joe Burrow has recently emerged as a top quarterback. Now, it’s time to take that next jump. Burrow has the second best odds to win the NFL MVP, sitting at +750 at Caesars Sportsbook. And the Bengals quarterback is a great pick to win this year’s award.

Burrow ended in fourth place in MVP voting last season, trailing fellow QBs Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, and Josh Allen. He had his best season of his career in 2022, tossing 35 touchdowns and only 12 interceptions (two less than 2021). Burrow led the Bengals to a 12-4 record, tying the best mark in franchise history. And Burrow has consistently improved in his three-year career. There’s no reason why he can’t do the same in his fourth.

Burrow is one of the smartest quarterbacks in the NFL and he has one of the best offensive cores in the league. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, both young receivers, are expected to take another leap in their already strong careers, helping Burrow’s case. His pocket presence is strong too, and the addition of Orlando Brown Jr. will cut Burrow’s 41 sacks in 2022 down in 2023.

Burrow fits the mold of an NFL MVP. The addition of Brown Jr. will give the Bengals QB extended time in the pocket, netting better results. It also takes away from reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes, who loses Brown Jr., the former All-Pro tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs. While Mahomes, Hurts, and Allen will again provide stiff competition, Cincinnati’s offense will help Burrow improve yet again. The quarterback should hit his targets with ease. He’s a clear frontrunner for MVP.

Ja’Marr Chase’s chemistry with Joe Burrow is unmatched. The duo played together in college at LSU and are now dominating with Cincinnati. Chase is one of the better ball-catchers in the NFL, and his odds at DraftKings sit at +600 to lead the league in receptions. We expect him to do just that.

In Chase’s rookie season in 2021, he had 1,455 receiving yards on 81 catches. A hairline fracture in 2022 left Chase with just 1,046 in 12 games, but he still had an improved 87 receptions. With a better offensive line and the loss of starting tight end Hayden Hurst, Chase’s targets will grow. That’ll lead to him taking the top spot from Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson.

Chase ranked third last year in targets per game among players that played ten-plus times, trailing Jefferson and Davante Adams. But if you factor out his injured Week 17 contest, Chase would have topped the league. While Jefferson’s quarterback, Kirk Cousins, continues to age and Adams’ QB changed, Chase’s QB is set to improve. If the LSU product can shake off his injury, this is a strong pick. Helped by Burrow, Chase is primed to lead the league in receptions in 2023.