Cincinnati Bengals Have TOO MANY NFL Caliber Wide Receivers! Who Gets Cut? | Breakdown, Analysis

The Cincinnati Bengals have one of the deepest wide receiver rooms in the NFL heading into the 2026 season, and the final weeks of the preseason could force the Bengals to make some difficult decisions when assembling their 53-man roster.

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Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins remain firmly established at the top of the Cincinnati Bengals depth chart. Chase is coming off another massive season after winning the receiving Triple Crown in 2024, while Higgins continues to provide Joe Burrow with one of the NFL's premier No. 2 wide receivers. Behind Chase and Higgins, however, the competition for roster spots and playing time has become one of the biggest storylines of Bengals training camp.

Andrei Iosivas enters his fourth NFL season with 84 career receptions for 1,030 yards and 12 touchdowns and remains the favorite to serve as Cincinnati's third wide receiver. But rookie Colbie Young has quickly emerged as another intriguing option. The fourth-round pick has combined impressive size and athleticism with consistent production throughout training camp and the preseason.

Dohnte Meyers has been one of the biggest surprises of Bengals camp. After recording 65 receptions for 1,056 yards during a Grey Cup-winning season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Meyers has carried that production into his first NFL training camp. Through Cincinnati's first two preseason games, Meyers has recorded eight receptions for 70 yards while also contributing as a runner, punt returner and kickoff returner.

Mitchell Tinsley finds himself in another roster battle after earning a spot on Cincinnati's 53-man roster in 2025. Tinsley caught six passes for 88 yards and two touchdowns during last year's preseason before contributing eight receptions for 116 yards and two touchdowns during the regular season.

Charlie Jones also remains firmly in the conversation because of his special teams ability. Jones has three return touchdowns since entering the NFL in 2023, including a 98-yard kickoff return touchdown against the Chicago Bears last season.

The Bengals have traditionally carried six wide receivers on their 53-man roster, including six to open each of the last three seasons. If Cincinnati sticks with that number again, Chase, Higgins, Iosivas, Young, Meyers, Tinsley and Jones could be competing for only six available spots.

With roster cuts approaching, Cincinnati may ultimately have more NFL-caliber wide receivers than it has room to keep.