3 Bengals sleepers who moved one step closer to a roster spot

The Cincinnati Bengals completed their second preseason game and now there's one more to go. For players lower down on the depth chart, this is their final opportunity to prove that they belong on the final 53-man roster.

Through the two games the Bengals have already played this preseason, sleepers have emerged as legitimate threats to make it onto the roster. Let's explore three of those sleepers.

These Bengals sleepers might have locked up surprise roster spots

Mitchell Tinsley

Clearly, the Bengals have no problem finding talented wide receivers. From Ja'Marr Chase to Tee Higgins to Andrei Iosivas, the latest receiver to emerge as a potential threat in the Bengals' offense is Mitchell Tinsley, who went off during Monday night's performance against his old team.

Tinsley finished the night with five catches for 73 yards and two trips into the end zone. His touchdowns were in the final minute of the first half, proving that he can step up and be clutch when needed to. Tinsley made things easier on backup quarterback Jake Browning and while he won't be a starting option if he makes the team, he should be able to make things easier for Joe Burrow too.

Bralyn Lux

It's hard to make the team as an undrafted free agent but Bralyn Lux has put in the work toward doing so this summer. Lux was impressive in the Bengals' preseason opener, notching three tackles and looking like that was only the beginning for him.

Something that plays in Lux's favor (aside from his performance, of course) is that Cincinnati doesn't have obvious answers at nickel this year. As of now, former first-round pick Dax Hill is penciled in as the starter in that role but that's probably not where he plays his best. Keeping Lux around could allow Hill to play outside more, which is better for everyone.

Howard Cross III

Another UDFA who could work his way onto the roster is Howard Cross III, who has a unique path toward doing so. Cross played with new Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden at Notre Dame and now the two are reunited at the professional level.

While Cross did ultimately go undrafted, that was likely in part due to a down year where he missed time with a knee injury. Bengals fans have seen what Cross can potentially provide this summer and the Fighting Irish product has even seen first-team reps. That's pretty impressive for an undrafted rookie but it shows that Cross has made an impression with the coaching staff.

Considering the lack of "oomph" the rest of the defensive tackles have shown this summer, Cross continues to be a strong candidate to make the final roster.