3 Bengals Vs Vikings Week 3 Fantasy Takeaways

Last time Jake Browning filled in for Joe Burrow, he led the NFL with a 70.4 completion percentage. This season, in the slightly more than a game and a half he’s played, he’s leading the NFL in interceptions. 

While Browning’s presence was steadily reliable previously, his showings in 2025 are unimpressive (and that’s being generous). Despite bringing home the win against Jacksonville, he still threw more interceptions than touchdowns.

Browning also seemed to struggle with the Vikings’ defense (more on that later), constantly failing to find an open receiver. Even with how good Minnesota’s defense looked, though, his struggles aren’t exactly matchup-related. 

It seems to be a mix of Browning struggling to get the ball in the hands of the team’s playmakers and the line failing to protect him. Regardless, he should be left on waivers or the bench for the time being, as several better options are entering Week 4. 

Bengals’ Running Game Dead End 

Along with the offensive line not effectively protecting Browning, they’re also having a major impact on Cincinnati’s running game (and not in a good way). 

This season, the Bengals have a total of 147 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. While this would be a solid single-game performance for an individual player, it’s alarming for a team through three games (61 attempts). 

Chase Brown, projected as a clear-cut RB1 entering the season, has logged only 93 yards on 47 tries, averaging two yards per attempt. This suggests that even with him struggling, Cincinnati doesn’t have faith in their running game in general, as that equates to only 14 rushes from everyone else. 

Injuries have played a major role in this, too, as Dalton Risner, Cordell Volson, and Lucas Patrick are injured (all guards). Samaje Perine, the team’s RB2, also injured his thumb in the outing, which (aside from potentially giving Tahj Brooks a bigger role) isn’t good for the run game. 

Until Brown or Brooks shows they can overcome these obstacles, the Bengals’ running game shouldn’t be trusted to start. Brown can be an exception as he both has the ability for big plays and was likely drafted by fantasy managers to be their RB1, but he’s currently an RB3 at best. 

Vikings Defense Could Be Dangerous 

While basically every Cincinnati takeaway was negative, Minnesota’s defense appeared to be an elite unit. The Bengals are often mocked for their defense, but their offense (at least in this era) is typically sound, and they gave up multiple fumbles on the day.

These were forced fumbles, too, not incidental and caused by a bad fall or slippery hands. Obviously, this kind of performance can’t be expected each week (four sacks, three fumbles, two interceptions, two touchdowns), but it suggests the Vikings have real defensive potential. 

There are always a handful of kickers and defenses that put up WR1 numbers, and are a treasure trove of points for whoever has the foresight to take them. This year, it appears that this Minnesota defense could be one of them, seeing as they just had a 40-plus point fantasy week. For IDP leagues, Isaiah Rodgers would be the key player to add, as he was responsible for the bulk of these points. 

End Of My Bengals Vikings Rant

Despite Browning’s first stint as Cincinnati’s starting QB, this time around seems to be much less productive. The Bengals’ ground game is also in shambles, with a battered, broken, and struggling offensive line. Minnesota’s defense could be a bright spot for fantasy owners needing some extra points each week, but this game was largely a fantasy dumpster fire. Tune in next week for the three biggest fantasy takeaways from the Bengals-Broncos Week 4 matchup.