A clear hierarchy exists when ranking the best players on the Cincinnati Bengals. There's Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, Trey Hendrickson, and then there's everyone else. It's no coincidence they are the three most recent Pro Bowlers on the roster.
The players of the NFL agree as they included all three in this year's annual Top 100 Players list that's voted on by the players themselves.
Unfortunately, the players also think all three are a little bit worse than last year.
Bengals stars drop in NFL Top 100 players of 2024
Joe Burrow
- 2024 ranking: 39
- 2023 ranking: 6
We don't have to wait until the list is fully unveiled to know Burrow will be the top Bengals player, especially when Chase and Hendrickson were ranked below him. He was viewed as a clear top 10 player in the midst of his healthy 2022 season in which he made his first Pro Bowl. A year featuring him playing hurt and missing the back half of the season dropped him 33 spots, which feels drastic, but that's the nature of not playing. Burrow recently pointed this out on Pardon My Take .
"That's what happens when you get hurt though," Burrow said. "You don't play football, people forget about you."
Burrow's down year dropped him below quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins and Jordan Love of the Green Bay Packers. Both quarterbacks had strong 2023 campaigns and signed major new contracts last week, though neither deal topped Burrow's five-year, $275 million extension from last offseason. Take that how you want.
Ja'Marr Chase
- 2024 ranking: 45
- 2023 ranking: 39
Burrow dropping from injury at least makes some sense, but Chase managed to put up very similar production last year as he did in 2022 despite Burrow's injuries and also dropped in the player's eyes. That seems a bit disrespectful.
From Week 5-10, the stretch of games Burrow was actually healthy, Chase posted 40 receptions for 537 yards and five touchdowns in five games. He was in the top five among all wideouts in all three categories during that portion of the season.
Chase himself didn't become a worse player just because he dealt with a bad situation out of his control. He was even the guy who wanted Burrow to sit out the first quarter of last season to rest his calf. Burrow playing all of 2024 will give him and Chase a bump in next year's list.
Trey Hendrickson
- 2024 ranking: 77
- 2023 ranking: 75
Hendrickson is the only one here who actually had a better season than his previous. His pressures (79 from 74), pass rush win rate (20.8% from 17.3%) and sacks (17.5 from eight) in 2023 all took a jump from 2022. Only two players had as many or more sacks, and yet 10 defensive lineman have already been revealed with higher rankings than him.
What's the deal with dropping him two spots? I haven't a clue. The players know who he is, but I suppose still not well enough. They need to listen to Buffalo Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins .
Hendrickson has made three-straight Pro Bowls, like Chase, and yet still has plenty more respect to earn from his peers. The aspect of team success cannot be ignored as a factor here, either.
Cincinnati going from nearly beating the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship again to missing the playoffs entirely is a drop-off that impacts more than just the team. It distorts the perception of the players themselves. Less attention is paid towards a club that struggles, and usually the attention is negative.
Burrow, Chase, and Hendrickson have staying power that can combat lack of winning, but not nearly enough as they deserve.
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