The 2026 NFL season is here, and we have updated our Pre-Season Football Monitor.

As we have expanded our projects, we can’t say we've expanded the team behind the scenes!  As a result, we are a little behind on this one, and we could only post the top 50 of the Pre-Season Monitor at this time.

We will add more during the season (and yes, we know that defeats the purpose of pre-season), but thank you for your patience.

We have unveiled the Quarterbacks, Running Backs, and now Wide Receivers, of which there are nine.

They are:

#1 WR, #18 Overall: Mike Evans, San Francisco 49ers. #13 Overall Last Year.

#2 WR, #21 Overall: Davante Adams, Los Angeles Rams, #23 Overall Last Year.

#3 WR, #25 Overall: Tyreek Hill, Free Agent, #18 Overall Last Year.

#4 WR, #27 Overall: DeAndre Hopkins, Free Agent, #24 Overall Last Year.

#5 WR, #40 Overall: Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings, #37 Overall Last Year

#6 WR, #42 Overall: Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals, #56 Overall Last Year

#7 WR, #43 Overall: Stefon Diggs, Washington Commanders, #41 Overall Last Year

#8 WR, #49 Overall: Keenan Allen, Indianapolis Colts, #46 Overall Last Year

#9 WR. #50 Overall: A.J. Brown, New England Patriots, #49 Overall Last Year

Look for more information on this project shortly.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we maintain and update our existing Top 50 lists annually.  We are pleased to present our pre-2026 revision of our top 50 Cincinnati Bengals.

As for all of our top 50 players in football, we look at the following: 

1.  Duration and Impact.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League.

3.  Advanced Statistics.

4.  Playoff performance.

5. Their respective legacy on the team.

6. How successful the team was when he was there.

7. Respecting the era in which they played.

Criteria 1-4 will make up the lion’s share of the algorithm.  Please note that we have implemented this for the first time.  This has changed the rankings all throughout the board.

Last year, the Bengals had a rough year, dealing with copious injuries and limped their way to a 6-11 record.  Two significant elevations and no new entries appeared on the list.

As always, we present our top five, which saw no changes.

1. Anthony Munoz
2. Ken Anderson
3. Geno Atkins
4. Ken Riley
5. Boomer Esiason

You can find the complete list here:

Wide Receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who is coming off his second straight First Team All-Pro, rocketed from #25 to #11.

Notably, Quarterback Joe Burrow, who was injured for much of the season, held at #19.

Defensive End Trey Hendrickson, who is now with the Baltimore Ravens, has moved up one spot to #25.

Wide Receiver Tee Higgins, who went to his first Pro Bowl last year, vaulted to #36 from #45.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we maintain and update our existing Top 50 lists annually.  As such, we are delighted to present our post-2024 revision of our top 50 Cincinnati Bengals.

As for all of our top 50 players in football, we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Bengals were led by an explosive offense featuring Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, but the defense let them down, and Cincinnati was unable to make the playoffs, finishing with a 9-8 record.  There was one new entrant, and multiple elevations based on last year’s season.

As always, we present our top five, which remains unchanged in that ranking.

1. Anthony Munoz
2. Ken Anderson
3. Geno Atkins
4. Ken Riley
5. Boomer Esiason 

You can find the entire list here. 

Superstar Quarterback Joe Burrow rocketed from #36 to #19.  Burrow was fourth in MVP voting in 2024.

Burrow’s prime weapon, Wide Receiver Ja’Marr Chase, also has a substantial increase by going from #49 to #25.  Chase earned his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl last year.

Defensive star Trey Henrickson jumped to #26 from #50.  He was last year’s Defensive Player of the Year’s runner-up.

The lone new entry is Wide Receiver Tee Higgins.  He comes in at #45.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists and consistently look to update them when necessary and based on necessity. As such, we are delighted to present our post-2023 revision of our top 50 Cincinnati Bengals.

As for all of our top 50 players in football, we look at the following:

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Bengals were unable to make the playoffs, though did have a winning record (9-8).  2023 still saw four new names enter the Top 50 with two elevations.

As always, we present our top five, which saw no changes:

1. Anthony Munoz
2. Ken Anderson
3. Geno Atkins
4. Ken Riley
5. Boomer Esiason 

You can find the entire list here.

Running Back Joe Mixon, now with the Houston Texans, moved up from #35 to #30.

Quarterback Joe Burrow advanced to #36 from #48.

The four new entries are:

Wide Receiver Tyler Boyd, now a Tennessee Titan, enters at #43.

Linebacker Germaine Pratt debuts at #44.

Three-time Pro Bowler (in only three years) Wide Receiver Ja’Marr Chase comes in at #49.

The last entry is defensive end Trey Hendrickson, another three-time Pro Bowler (again, in only three seasons).

Offensive Lineman Rich Braham, Wide Receiver Darnay Scott, Defensive End Michael Johnson, and Defensive Tackle Mike Reid fell off the Top 50.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

Reunited, and it feels so good.

Selected fifth overall in the 2021 NFL Draft out of LSU, Ja’Marr Chase wasted no time proving that his championship chemistry with quarterback Joe Burrow translated seamlessly to the professional ranks. Arriving in Cincinnati as a dynamic deep threat, Chase immediately stepped in as the focal point of the Bengals' aerial attack.

Chase combines precise route-running with elite acceleration and excellent contact balance as a running back after catching the ball. Mainly playing on the perimeter, he has a remarkable ability to leap and twist his body to catch contested passes in tight coverage. Once he has the ball, Chase is a nightmare for defenders, turning short passes like hitches and slants into explosive plays that often result in long touchdowns.

Chase started strong in 2021, delivering one of the most impressive rookie seasons for a receiver in NFL history. He caught 81 passes for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns, setting a franchise record for single-season receiving yards. He was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and received his first Pro Bowl selection along with a Second-Team All-Pro nod. In the postseason, he continued his strong performance with 368 receiving yards, helping Cincinnati reach Super Bowl LVI.

That first burst of activity triggered an unparalleled streak of high-quality production. Even with four games missed due to a hip injury in 2022, Chase achieved 1,046 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, earning his second Pro Bowl selection. In 2023, he surpassed 100 catches with 100 receptions for 1,216 yards, securing his third straight Pro Bowl appearance.

His peak came during a historic 2024 campaign, where Chase was an unstoppable force in Cincinnati's offense. He achieved the NFL’s receiving "Triple Crown" by leading the league in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708), and receiving touchdowns (17). This outstanding season earned him Consensus First-Team All-Pro honors, his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl, and strong consideration for NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year. He continued this elite level through the 2025 season, with 125 catches, 1,412 yards, and eight touchdowns, earning his fifth straight Pro Bowl.

So far, Chase has appeared in 78 regular-season games, amassing 520 receptions, 6,837 receiving yards, and 54 receiving touchdowns, and has a lot more to accomplish in the Jungle.

2025 Pre-Season Rank #55, 2024 Pre-Season Rank #111, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #134, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #145. Peak Period: 2021-25*

Ja’Marr Chase has been money since the Cincinnati Bengals took him fifth overall in 2021 and reunited him with his college Quarterback, Joe Burrow.

A Pro Bowl selection in all five seasons, Chase’s best season was in 2024, when he won the Wide Receiver’s Triple Crown (127 Receptions, 1,708 Yards, and 17 Touchdowns) and was named First-Team All-Pro.  He was third in Offensive Player of the Year that season, and he followed that up last season with a second First Team All Pro nod.

Moving forward, there is no reason to think that his second half-decade in the sport could be just as good as his first, and barring injury, we project he will crack the top 30 of this list next year.

What a joy he is to watch!

*Chase has only played five years.