Bengals Disrespected in Latest ESPN NFL Power Rankings

The Cincinnati Bengals got a taste of success when they played in Super Bowl LVI last February. Talented young players like Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase should keep the Bengals competitive going forward, but not everyone shares the same respect for the team.

The Bengals have been disrespected by Seth Walder in the latest ESPN NFL power rankings. Despite being the runner-up in this year's Super Bowl, Walder has Cincinnati as the No. 16-ranked team.

Bengals Power Rankings

It's understandable if Walder doesn't think the Bengals are an elite team just yet because they still have much to prove. But ranking them below non-playoff teams from last year like the Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Ravens is disrespectful.

The Bengals displayed one of the best offenses in the league last year, averaging 26.3 PPG (No. 9) while scoring 30-plus points in seven regular-season games. Burrow looked great throwing over 4,600 passing yards and 34 touchdowns, while Chase was named Offensive Rookie of the Year after racking up 1,455 yards and 13 TDs on 81 receptions.

Bengals general manager Mike Brown has spent the offseason improving both the offensive and defensive lines. Assuming that his moves work in practice as well as they look on paper, Cincinnati should be a stronger team.

Fortunately, oddsmakers have given the organization a bit more respect than Walder. FanDuel Sportsbook has the Bengals at +2200 (T-No. 12) to go on and win Super Bowl LVII next February.

Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.