5 most important players on Bengals roster who are not starters

4. Chase Brown 

Chase Brown hasn't played a snap for the Bengals yet, but he will be a centerpiece for the second or third unit of the Bengals' offense. 

Samaje Perine leaving for Denver opens the door for somebody like Chase Brown to step into a similar role as Perine in the last two years. Brown was one of the best running backs in the history of Illinois football at the collegiate level.

Brown will need to be the complementary back to Joe Mixon, and you need that so a player like Mixon, who has taken many career snaps and reps, isn't drained out by the time the playoffs come around. Brown will be vital along with other running backs, Chris Evans and Trayveon Williams. 

3. Akeem Davis-Gaither 

 Akeem Davis-Gaither showed how important he was during the Wild Card round last year in the postseason where he came up with a first half-interception against the Baltimore Ravens. 

Davis-Gaither isn't in the starting tandem. That is Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt, but the Bengals use Davis-Gaither in many sets and schemes, and he has games where he can and will make more of an impact than the other two. 

His coverage ability has improved drastically, and he still approaches the football at a high and agile level. Davis-Gaither may find himself splitting reps with Joe Bachie and Markus Bailey, but for now, I would say he is the Bengals’ clear-cut number-three linebacker on the depth chart.