2023 NFL Power Rankings: Cincinnati Bengals

Young riser: CB DJ Turner II

The Bengals' 2023 second-round pick has been pressed into action because of injuries and has dazzled in his debut. He has allowed just four receptions on 16 targets as the nearest defender, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Turner boasts an 81.3% coverage success rate and a minus-15.9 expected points added when targeted. Cincinnati has looked for ways to use Turner, regardless if Chidobe Awuzie has been healthy or not. Turner and Cam Taylor-Britt are poised to be the team's outside cornerbacks of the future. -- Ben Baby

Is there a way to kick-start the run game? That had to be a discussion topic for Cincinnati over the bye. The Bengals' ground attack wasn't very explosive last year, but it was effective. This season, it has been neither. The good news is that we're really talking about making incremental gains over the final 11 games. The bad news is that the personnel is arguably worse. Joe Mixon can't make people miss this year, and the Bengals have yet to identify an effective RB2. I know Joe Burrow's at his best out of the shotgun, but it's worth asking why the Bengals have seven under-center snaps in six games after logging more than 200 a year ago.

The bye had to be good for this team, especially Joe Burrow and his calf. They needed the time. But now they face a brutal trip to play the 49ers.

If they emerge from their bye and manage to beat San Francisco, seemingly resurgent Cincinnati will finish 4-0 against the NFC West.

One question: Is the running game OK?

Joe Burrow seems fixed. Now about that run game. The division-winning Bengals teams of the last two seasons didn't lean on the run, but they could run the ball. Cincinnati was eighth in the league in rushing success rate in 2022 (41.1 percent) and 23rd in 2021 (37.3). This year, the Bengals sit 30th at 30.9 percent, and Joe Mixon is the only back with more than five carries this season.

The Bengals got a big win against Seattle and then disappeared into the ether of the bye week. We don't have to wonder whether they've actually improved for much longer. Next up on the schedule: a trip to San Francisco.

The Bengals have the toughest remaining schedule in the NFL, according to Tankathon. Their next month is an indication of that: They play at San Francisco, host the Bills, have a tougher-than-expected test against the Texans and then play a massive AFC North game at the Ravens. It's a good thing the Bengals got back to .500 before the bye because there are no breaks for a while.

Sunday's rematch of Super Bowl XVI and XXIII becomes a huge game for both teams.

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