After years of being criticized for not protecting Joe Burrow well enough, the Bengals enter the 2026 season with their best offensive line in years. The offensive tackle pairing of Orlando Brown Jr. and Amarius Mims has a chance to be among the best in the AFC. And the fact that they are returning all five offensive line starters gives them continuity that most teams dream of.
But for the offense to reach its ceiling, they are going to need Dylan Fairchild to take a big step forward in Year 2. And luckily for Cincinnati, he showed some real signs of growth at the end of the 2025 season. Now, people are starting to notice just how good Fairchild could be this season and the upside of this offensive line.
Dylan Fairchild named secret star heading into 2026 season
In a recent article from Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski, he wrote about every team’s secret star heading into the 2026 season. While there were many to choose from for the Bengals, Sobleski ultimately went with Fairchild after a strong finish to the 2025 season. Here is a snippet of what he had to say about the former SEC star:
“The Cincinnati Bengals knew Dylan Fairchild wasn't a finished product when the organization chose him in the third round of last year's draft. The 6'5", 318-pound interior blocker entered the professional ranks as a raw yet explosive powerhouse. While rough patches were seen during Fairchild's rookie campaign, the arrow is pointing up for what could be a stellar career.”
Sobleski would go on to quote several stats from Pro Football Focus, such as Fairchild only allowing eight total pressures over the final six games of the season. He finished as one of the better pass-blocking guards in the NFL last year, and that is despite a rough start to his career.
Entering Year 2, the Bengals want to see Fairchild continue where he left off last year. But he also needs to grow as a run blocker, as the Bengals would love to become a more balanced offense. There is no doubt that Fairchild has the raw tools to improve there, but now it’s about him becoming more consistent.
Offensive linemen usually improve the most from Year 1 to Year 2 as their bodies start to catch up to the speed of the NFL. So if Fairchild can improve at all from what we saw from Week 11 on last season, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him become one of the better left guards in the conference.
Fairchild is the missing piece on the offensive line for the Bengals. If he can develop into a high-quality starter, there is no reason why this can’t be one of the better offensive lines in the league. The development of Mims will be crucial as well, but giving Burrow a clean pocket up front is a must. Keep an eye on Fairchild in Year 2 as his trajectory will be vital for this team taking the next step as a franchise.
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