Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals head to Miami looking to stop the bleeding against a Dolphins team that still hasn't found the win column.
Game details
| When | Sunday, October 11, 2026 at 1:00 PM ET |
| Where | Hard Rock Stadium |
| TV | Fox |
| Line | Cincinnati Bengals -7 | O/U 44.5 (market view) |
| Cincinnati Bengals record | 2-2 |
| Miami Dolphins record | 0-4 |
Overview
The Cincinnati Bengals (2-2) travel to Hard Rock Stadium to face the Miami Dolphins (0-4) on Sunday, October 11, 2026, with kickoff set for 1:00 PM ET on Fox. Weather shouldn't be a factor either way — clear skies, 90 degrees, and just 10 mph of wind.
Cincinnati enters on a two-game skid after dropping a 17-22 decision to the Jacksonville Jaguars at home and a 27-30 shootout loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road, sandwiched around wins over the Houston Texans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers to open the year. Miami has been in a different kind of freefall, losing all four of its games and getting outscored 101-46 on the season, including a 13-35 blowout at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers and a 10-24 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at home.
This one tilts hard toward Cincinnati. The Bengals have simply scored more and allowed less across the board, and Miami's four straight losses by a combined margin that includes a 35-point outing against them says plenty about where this Dolphins team is right now. Burrow against a struggling Miami defense, even banged up at receiver, should be enough.
Key players
Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals — projected for 19.5 DraftKings points, he's the engine for this offense no matter who's lined up outside.
Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals — questionable with a concussion, he still carries a 16.5-point projection if he's cleared to go.
Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals — also questionable, this time with a groin issue, and projected for 16.0 points.
Malik Willis, QB, Miami Dolphins — the Dolphins starter is projected for 11.0 points as he tries to find any rhythm behind center.
Ollie Gordon II, RB, Miami Dolphins — Miami's lead back is projected for 8.0 points in what's shaping up as a tough matchup.
Keys to the game
Cincinnati needs clarity at receiver — with Chase, Higgins and Colbie Young all questionable, Burrow needs someone to step up and give him a reliable target.
The Bengals have to lean on Chase Brown and the run game to control tempo against a Dolphins defense that's been gashed all season.
Cincinnati's defense needs to make Willis uncomfortable early and often, since Miami has struggled to find any offensive footing through four games.
Fantasy angles
Start Joe Burrow with confidence — a 19.5-point projection against a Miami defense that's allowed 101 points through four games is about as green a light as it gets.
If Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins both clear their questionable tags, start both — 16.5 and 16.0 projected points respectively make them must-plays against this Dolphins secondary.
Chase Brown is a solid flex option at 13.0 projected points, especially if Cincinnati leans run-heavy to protect a banged-up air attack.
Mike Gesicki is a streaming tight end option at 10.5 projected points, a steady floor if the receiver situation stays murky.
If either Chase or Higgins ends up out, downgrade their projection value and bump Gesicki and Chase Brown up your priority list instead.
Prediction
The market has this one pegged at Cincinnati Bengals 26, Miami Dolphins 19, with the Bengals favored by 7.0 points and a total of 44.5. That lines up with what's on tape so far this season — Cincinnati's offense generating enough points to cover even with receiver question marks, while Miami's struggling attack keeps pace just enough to push the total into range but not enough to threaten the outcome.
Injury report
| Player | Team | Pos | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ja'Marr Chase | Cincinnati Bengals | WR | Questionable |
| Tee Higgins | Cincinnati Bengals | WR | Questionable |
| Colbie Young | Cincinnati Bengals | WR | Questionable |
| Swayze Bozeman | Cincinnati Bengals | LB | Questionable |
| Bryan Cook | Cincinnati Bengals | S | Questionable |
| Kyle Dugger | Cincinnati Bengals | S | Out |
| Caleb Douglas | Miami Dolphins | WR | Out |
| Jaylen Wright | Miami Dolphins | RB | Questionable |
| Robert Beal Jr. | Miami Dolphins | DE | Out |
| Storm Duck | Miami Dolphins | CB | Questionable |
| Kenneth Grant | Miami Dolphins | DT | Questionable |
| Jackson Woodard | Miami Dolphins | LB | Questionable |
| Justin Joly | Miami Dolphins | TE | Out |
| Reese Taylor | Miami Dolphins | CB | Out |
Depth chart
| Pos | Cincinnati Bengals |
|---|---|
| QB | Joe Burrow |
| RB | Chase Brown, Samaje Perine |
| WR | Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Colbie Young |
| TE | Mike Gesicki |
Recent results
| Team | Last games |
|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | Wk4 L 17-22 vs Jacksonville Jaguars, Wk3 L 27-30 vs Pittsburgh Steelers, Wk2 W 20-6 vs Houston Texans |
In this story
- Cincinnati Bengals at Miami Dolphins
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Miami Dolphins
- Bryan Cook
- Caleb Douglas
- Chase Brown
- Colbie Young
- Ja'Marr Chase
- Jackson Woodard
- Jaylen Wright
- Joe Burrow
- Justin Joly
- Kenneth Grant
- Kyle Dugger
- Malik Willis
- Mike Gesicki
- Ollie Gordon II
- Reese Taylor
- Robert Beal Jr.
- Samaje Perine
- Storm Duck
- Swayze Bozeman
- Tee Higgins
Written by Rhett Zone, an AI analyst, from News Hub Fantasy data (schedule, scores, box scores, injuries and depth charts), and checked against that data before it published automatically. Read how we use AI in our editorial standards.