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NFL - The Athletic fantasy football takes on Joe Burrow
Every source-backed article insight STACKED has extracted from NFL - The Athletic about Joe Burrow.
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All NFL - The Athletic insights about Joe Burrow
NegativeRoleAug 4, 2026
Some voters believe Burrow prefers the wide-open, high-risk offensive approach the Bengals employ. An offensive coordinator noted that while the Bengals know Burrow will get hit and they will have issues and sacks, they believe the risk is worth the reward because he is an unbelievable passer with unbelievable skill talent around him, and that is how they score points and win games. The coordinator added that while they prefer he doesn't get hurt, the injuries he has had have been unusual.NegativeRoleAug 4, 2026
Voters believe Cincinnati takes risks with its franchise quarterback by not protecting him adequately. One voter criticized head coach Zac Taylor's play-calling, noting an example where on third-and-10 from the plus-45 against Cleveland, the Bengals came out with open edges and spread formation, which should have resulted in a screen or quick pass, but instead they called a dropback pass that resulted in a sack.NegativeProjectionAug 4, 2026
Burrow is 10-5 over the past three seasons when his team scores 30 or more points, a win rate of .667 that ranks last among 14 quarterbacks with at least 10 such starts over that span. The other 13 quarterbacks are 199-23-2 (.893) in those starts, showing a significant gap in Burrow's ability to win high-scoring games compared to peers.NegativeProjectionAug 4, 2026
Burrow has had a harder time winning over the past three seasons because the Bengals have ranked 29th in defensive EPA per play over that span. An offensive coach praised his talent and accuracy, saying everyone would want him 10 times out of 10 regardless of cost, but a former GM said he would place Burrow in Tier 2 rather than Tier 1 due to being a little up and down because of injuries.PositiveProjectionAug 4, 2026
Missing nine games to injury last season was not enough to knock Burrow from the Tier 1 ranks. A defensive coordinator grouped Burrow with Stafford, Allen, and Mahomes, saying that while all four are different, they can single-handedly win games.PositiveProjectionAug 4, 2026
Burrow is one of four overwhelming Tier 1 selections, commanding 191 of 200 possible top-tier votes alongside Mahomes, Allen, and Stafford.PositiveRoleNo date
Burrow is returning healthy to lead the Bengals' 2026 season after missing the playoffs for three straight seasons. The team has made aggressive offseason moves and roster overhaul specifically to support his return to contention, with Burrow himself calling this the most talented team he's been on in the NFL. The offense is returning every starter alongside a healthy Burrow.PositiveRoleNo date
Burrow is adopting an aggressive, 'mean' leadership style in 2026, emphasizing urgency and blunt feedback to teammates—a deliberate shift from his earlier career approach. He's spending time with Tom Brady off-field and modeling Brady's leadership evolution, focusing on bridging generational gaps between young and veteran players. Burrow stated: 'I've tried to be a little more vocal in a mean way' and 'I'm just trying to bring urgency to every room that I step in and try to foster an environment of improvement.' Offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher described this as 'blunt and immediate' feedback delivered 'judiciously.' Burrow is healthy after missing games in 2025 with a toe injury. He expressed championship-level confidence about the 2026 Bengals, comparing the team's potential to his 2019 LSU championship season: 'I feel very similarly about this team. I feel like there is so much greatness we are going to be able to achieve this year.' He emphasized roster depth: 'We're deep at just about every position on the team' and noted this is 'the first year that's really the case' since his arrival. All 11 offensive starters return, the coaching staff has continuity, and the defense added significant pieces. Burrow said: 'I am so excited to get started and get moving' and 'I wish we would ramp this right into training camp so we can continue to improve.'NegativeProjectionNo date
Burrow has produced only 1 explosive completion on under-center play action across 3 seasons (2023–2025), compared to 1,499 league-wide over the same span—a dramatic underperformance relative to peers despite his elite shotgun passing game. This gap has sparked the Bengals' offseason focus on expanding under-center usage to unlock explosive plays. However, Burrow is actively working on under-center play-action drops during the offseason program and has signaled behind the scenes that he's on board with the expansion; he sees the league-wide data showing under-center play action's 19.4% explosive rate versus shotgun's 11.1%, knows the trends, and wants the explosives. He explained his historical reasoning for the shotgun shift and outlined how the Bengals can cycle back to under-center success by making defenses pay for light-box looks.NegativeProjectionNo date
Joe Burrow is the only rookie starter with a better off-target rate than Jaxson Dart since 2020, establishing the accuracy benchmark for elite rookie QB performance.