5 toughest rookies on Cincinnati Bengals schedule this season

A handful of rookies enter the league and set it on fire every NFL season. Cincinnati got a taste of that when they faced Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams in the preseason. 

As Bengals fans, we will get an up-close and personal look at some of the 2024 rookies who will unquestionably leave their mark on the season. Here are five of the toughest rookies Cincinnati will face this year. 

5 toughest rookies on Bengals schedule this season

Nate Wiggins, Cornerback, Baltimore Ravens

Cornerback Nate Wiggins appears to be one of the best selections of the 2024 NFL Draft. It's terrific -- or terrifying -- that diehard Bengals fans get to watch him play at least twice this season. It's regrettable news that he plays for Baltimore.

Wiggins, the 30th overall pick from Clemson, was one of the most entertaining watches this preseason. He started his NFL career off with a bang. He showed he was on another level against the Philadelphia Eagles, albeit it was against mostly backups. But it did not stop there. Wiggins would go on to be one of the best performers of the entire preseason.

Now that Chase is back in the fold for Cincinnati, Bengals fans and fantasy players are not the only ones who should be happy. All NFL fans can rejoice in anticipation of the Bengals’ receivers against Baltimore’s secondary.

Before, it was “on sight” when Chase saw Cleveland’s defensive backfield. That focus and intensity may shift to the Ravens’ secondary now that they have Wiggins. To echo the great American philosopher Bart Scott, “Can’t wait!”

Zach Frazier, Center, Pittsburgh Steelers

Luckily for the Bengals, the Pittsburgh Steelers have made questionable offensive line picks in recent years. Broderick Jones is chief among them. Unfortunately for Cincinnati, center Zach Frazier was not one of those mistakes.

Frazier was one of, if not the best, interior offensive linemen in April's draft. He could have been considered the best center based on the film supposedly watched by the experts. So it's no surprise that he earned the starting center spot for the Steelers as a rookie.

The Bengals' defensive front will face a formidable challenge against Frazier when the teams play. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo would be wise to isolate the questionable play of thier tackles rather than bang their heads against the wall that is Pittsburgh's new center.

Frazier is still a rookie in the league, so there will be a learning curve. However, expect he will play on par with his status as one of the best interior linemen from the draft. 

T’Vondre Sweat, Defensive tackle, Tennessee Titans

One of the biggest (literally) and most challenging rookies the Bengals must face this season is T’Vondre Sweat. The defensive lineman was a possible target for the Bengals during the draft process. And rightfully so. The Bengals needed to replace D.J. Reader’s physical presence in the interior of the defensive line. Sweat would have been the perfect candidate to do just that.

Sweat is a run stuffer who offers uncanny pass-rush ability for someone of his stature, a combination that is tough for centers and guards to handle throughout a game.

Brian Callahan, former Bengals offensive coordinator turned Titans head coach, will be the predominant storyline when the teams meet in December. But for Cincinnati to win that game, they must succeed along the offensive line. Sweat will be a tough matchup for Ted Karras, Alex Kappa, and Cordell Volson.

Malik Nabers, Wide receiver, New York Giants

Malik Nabers is another rookie that NFL secondaries must contend with. The sixth overall pick comes into the NFL with the familiar hype of LSU receivers from the recent past.

Despite the long lineage of exceptional LSU receivers, Nabers holds the record for most receptions and career yards while only playing three years. Expect Nabers to live up to the expectations of being a top-10 overall pick and an LSU star receiver.

Perhaps what will slow Nabers down the most is New York’s quarterback play. However, it is more likely that having Nabers will positively impact Daniel Jones rather than the inverse.

Despite being a rookie, Nabers will be one of the best receivers that Cincinnati will have faced up to that point of the season. And he will be the best rookie wideout Lou Anarumo’s defense will face in the regular season. Cincinnati's new-look secondary must do whatever it takes to limit the explosive plays that Nabers will hope to exploit. The Bengals face the Giants on October 14. By then, Nabers should be a rookie in name only.

Payton Wilson, Linebacker, Pittsburgh Steelers

Begrudgingly, another Steelers draftee makes this list. Pittsburgh selected North Carolina State linebacker Payton Wilson in the third round. He is just the most recent example of Pittsburgh’s ability to target talented linebackers in the draft who are sure to make life difficult for opposing offenses.

Wilson finished his final season at NC State with 138 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, and six sacks. And he did all of that with the speed, aggressiveness, relentless effort, and violence that one would expect from a defender playing in the NFL’s toughest division. 

But Wilson is not just a hard-hitting linebacker. According to Pro Football Focus, he was also one of the best linebackers in coverage. 

Despite his long and worrisome injury history, he played in 12 of NC State’s 13 games last year. His ability to play with ferocity with those lingering health issues speaks volumes about his toughness. Furthermore, he has the stats that show he can be a very productive player in the league.

The Cincinnati Bengals might have one of the easiest schedules in the NFL this season. However, they must face some of the toughest and most talented rookies looking to leave their mark on the 2024 NFL season.