Miami Dolphins vs. Cincinnati Bengals Matchup Breakdown For Fantasy Football Week 5

• Spread: Bengals -7.0
• Total: 42.5
• Score Prediction (from our NFL Betting Game Model): CIN 25, MIA 18

Cincinnati Bengals Fantasy Preview

Owners of two straight losses, the Bengals couldn’t be making fantasy gamers any happier than realizing their defense may not be as effective as initially asserted. Getting pushed on offense subsequently returned Joe Burrow to fantasy glory as the overall QB2 over the last two weeks (23.2 fantasy points/game, +0.27 EPA/attempt, 101.4 passer rating). Looks like Cincy’s back in business — that is, if they can overcome a recent swath of injuries.

Superstar WR Ja’Marr Chase (concussion) will miss at least after getting his head spun like a top early on during last week's tilt with Jacksonville, while Tee Higgins broke out for (11-157-0) before hurting his adductor. His status remains up in the air, though Cincy remains optimistic. Regardless, there are valuable opportunities up for grabs in the meantime.

After Chase’s departure, an unlikely hero emerged in fourth-year UDFA Dohnte Meyers (7-82-0), who ran exactly 100% of routes (47), earning 8 targets on mediocre advanced metrics (17.0% target/route, 1.40 yards/route). Since the Bengals run so much 11-personnel, another fourth-year UDFA, Mitchell Tinsley, also played a bunch, though mostly in a clear-out role. Remember, injuries can always re-aggravate, and anyone running routes attached to Burrow’s arm is worthy of our attention.

Not to gloss past RB Chase Brown, but he’s the consummate buy-low fantasy asset. As frustrating as still waiting for our first RB1 finish may be, Brown's commanding 81% of the Bengals’ backfield opportunities, with 100% of goal-line attempts, plus more catches at the positions than anyone not named Jahmyr Gibbs. It’s coming … everyone gets right against Miami.

• Start: QB Joe Burrow, RB Chase Brown, WR Tee Higgins
• Sit: WR Mitchell Tinsley
• Sleeper: WR Dohnte Meyers

Miami Dolphins Fantasy Preview

Football’s funny. It took all of a month for me to go from high-man on the Dolphins to doing my best to squint and figure out why there’s any excitement left at all.

What do I see? The league’s lowest-scoring offense (11.5 PPG), gaining the fewest yards (267.5 yards/game), at the NFL’s worst success rate (35.2%). In fact, the Dolphins are yet to post a single-game success rate over 36% — which would still grade out dead last. Hard to be worse than the worst …

Malik Willis has scored fewer fantasy points than the game prior every week this year, with just a single passer rating performance over 67. Ugh. For reference, Josh Allen scored one less point against the Lions in Week 2 than Willis did all season. Willis is also yet to top 220 passing yards, a completion rate over 61%, an off-target rate below 19%, or throw multiple TDs in any game. Then, just as we’re getting some of the rushing work we dreamed of (9-56-0 vs. KC), Willis takes off just twice — equal to or less than 22 different QBs in Week 4. Preposterous…

Ollie Gordon stepped up big time for desperate waiver wire miners (9-100-1; 2-0-0), though despite a 69% backfield opportunity share, it was just 11 touches. Again, a resonating lack of efficiency throughout the offense is going to keep a firm cap on all Dolphins. We may’ve just seen Gordon’s best game of 2026 — I’d look to shop him around to an RB-desperate GM.

Even though Miami’s spent a league-worst 91% of all snaps trailing, they’re still bottom-12 in pass rate, resulting in the sixth-least dropbacks/game (31.8). Hey Bobby Slowick, what gives? Malik Washington's a weekly start, essentially doubling up the entire team in targets, catches, and yards — just keep in mind he could see a heaping helping of DJ Turner without much else to defend in the secondary. There’s also some hope for rookie Chris Bell, but without some tangible changes, there’s no way to tell if and when this ever happens.

And yes, the Bengals still can’t cover TEs, but I’m not sure that means to fire up Greg Dulcich …

• Start: RB Ollie Gordon, WR Malik Washington
• Sit: QB Malik Willis, WR Chris Bell
• Sleeper: TE Greg Dulcich

Next Week's Bold Headline, Today

Every week, the public places another modicum of faith in the Dolphins for a turnaround, only to be disappointed. Unsurprisingly, dysfunction on both sides of the ball makes Cincinnati look their best all season. On Sunday, the B in Joey B stands for blowout …