Bengals Player Power Rankings Week 7: Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase Pushing For Top Spot

Cincinnati has won three of their last four games.

Blake Jewell | Oct 18, 2022

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Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals improved to 3-3 on the season with a win over the Saints on Sunday.

We’ll take a look at the top 10 players on the Bengals in our power rankings every single week. The rankings will be based on player performances and will fluctuate throughout the season.

Here is our first top 10:

1. Trey Hendrickson

© Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Trey Hendrickson only has 2.5 sacks in the season, but he's impacting the game in a major way. Despite the low sack number, Hendrickson is in the backfield on virtually every play. Hendrickson is absolutely crucial for the Bengals pass rush, and he’s showed that through six games.

2. Joe Burrow

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) runs for a touchdown in the second quarter during an NFL Week 6 game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022, at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. Cincinnati Bengals At New Orleans Saints Oct 16 024 — © Cara Owsley/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Despite the slow start for the Bengals' offense, Joe Burrow is top five in the NFL is both passing yards and passing touchdowns. He bounced back in his return to Louisiana, throwing for 300 yards and three scores, while also rushing for a touchdown. If he can put together another performance like he had against the Saints this week, he could take over the No. 1 spot in these rankings.

3. Ja'Marr Chase

Similar to Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase started this season slow statistically, but he showed on Sunday that he’s an elite wide receiver once again. He finished the game with 132 yards on seven catches and two touchdowns—including the game-winning score.

4. Vonn Bell

The Bengals safety is proving his worth in a contract year. He currently leads the team in interceptions with three. Two of them came in the Bengals' win over the Dolphins on Thursday Night Football.

5. Sam Hubbard

With DJ Reader missing time, the Bengals needed Sam Hubbard to step up and help in the run game, and that’s exactly what he’s done so far. Hubbard has been a balanced defensive end to this point, both as a pass rusher and a run stopper. Even though the defense struggled against the Saints, Hubbard is a reason for their strong start to the 2022 season.

6. Chidobe Awuzie

Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Chidobe Awuzie (22) nearly intercepts a pass intended for New York Jets wide receiver Corey Davis (84) in the second quarter of the NFL Week 3 game between the New York Jets and the Cincinnati Bengals at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022. Cincinnati Bengals At New York Jets Week 3 — © Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Bengals' No. 1 cornerback is also a big reason for their strong defensive start. He has been very good in coverage through six weeks and has returned to form last season. He’ll have a chance to continue his stellar play on Sunday against the Falcons.

7. DJ Reader

Reader has missed a few games due to injury, but he still makes the list due to how dominant he was when he was on the field. Through the first few weeks, Reader was clearly the best player on the Bengals. After a poor performance stopping the run against the Saints, it’s clear how much this defense misses Reader.

8. Tee Higgins

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (85) jogs into the end zone on a touchdown reception in the second quarter of the NFL Week 4 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Miami Dolphins at PayCor Stadium in downtown on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. The Bengals 14-12 at halftime. Miami Dolphins At Cincinnati Bengals Week 4 — © Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Higgins has been battling injuries to this point in the season, but there’s a very clear difference in this team when he’s on the field. Chase has been doubled, sometimes triple covered this season, and Higgins has shown he can make teams pay when they put extra resources into potentially stopping Chase.

9. Alex Cappa

Cincinnati Bengals guard Alex Cappa (65) congratulates Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon (28) after a touchdown in the first quarter during an NFL Week 6 game against the New Orleans Saints, Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021, at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. Cincinnati Bengals At New Orleans Saints Oct 16 010 — © Cara Owsley/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Bengals' offensive line has put together some solid performances the past few games, and Alex Cappa has been a major part of that. After a nice game against the Saints, he earned a spot in this weeks rankings.

10. Logan Wilson

Wilson suffered a shoulder injury against the Saints. We don't know how long he'll be out, but he's a big part of Cincinnati's defense. He earns a spot on this list due to his play to this point in the season and hopefully for the Bengals, his injury isn’t serious and he can get back out there in the near future.

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