There’s no arguing that when healthy, Bengals QB Joe Burrow is one of the best in the league.
The main question is, obviously, his health. Burrow has only produced 2 seasons in his NFL career in which he played in every game. To be fair, in an additional 2 seasons, he has only missed 1 game in each.
Still, Burrow needs to remain on the field. He has missed 7 or more games in 2 of the last 3 seasons. If he can stay on the field, there’s a real shot that he could win the MVP award.
Bengals QB Joe Burrow Named an MVP Favorite
GettyJoe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals warms up prior to a game against the Arizona Cardinals at Paycor Stadium on December 28, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images)
Bleacher Report recently unveiled a list ranking the top candidates to win MVP that have never won the award before. Atop the rankings was none other than Joseph Lee Burrow.
“Two-time Comeback Player of the Year Joe Burrow is in the No. 1 spot. He missed nine games last year, so he could win that award for a third time.
Nonetheless, he possesses MVP-caliber talent and has the supporting cast to rack up big numbers. In 2025, he led the league with 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdown passes.
Burrow’s MVP case comes down to two factors: staying healthy and the Bengals winning more games. In three out of six seasons, the 29-year-old has missed at least six outings. Cincinnati hasn’t qualified for the playoffs since the 2022 campaign.”
The Bengals are locked and loaded in 2026, and could make a run in a wide-open AFC North.
Cincinnati’s OL Dylan Fairchild a ‘Best-Kept Secret’
GettyCINCINNATI, OHIO – DECEMBER 28: Dylan Fairchild #63 of the Cincinnati Bengals is introduced prior to a game against the Arizona Cardinals at Paycor Stadium on December 28, 2025 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images)
Fairchild was the 81st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to Cincinnati. He was named the starting left guard for the Bengals before his rookie season, and made the PFF and ESPN All-Rookie teams in 2025.
Brent Sobleski sees the vision with Fairchild, and named him the Bengals’ “best-kept secret”.
“The Cincinnati Bengals knew Dylan Fairchild wasn’t a finished product when the organization chose him in the third round of last year’s draft. The 6’5″, 318-pound interior blocker entered the professional ranks as a raw yet explosive powerhouse. While rough patches were seen during Fairchild’s rookie campaign, the arrow is pointing up for what could be a stellar career.
‘From Week 13 onward, he slotted in as the 11th-best pass-blocking guard (78.5), with only eight pressures allowed over the six-game stretch,’ Pro Football Focus’ Ben Cooper noted.
Fairchild is an excellent athlete with the type of power to consistently displace defenders. With Orlando Brown Jr., Ted Karras and Dalton Risner getting older, the second-year blocker will likely develop into the centerpiece of Cincinnati’s front five.”
The most important thing for the Bengals in 2026 is Joe Burrow’s health, as it is every other season. Dylan Fairchild obviously plays a major role in that.
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