Lions vs. Bengals Preseason Prediction: Cincinnati’s Starters Give Cincinnati the Edge Over Detroit’s Backups

Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase are actually going to play in this one, and that alone makes Thursday’s preseason opener worth more than the usual exhibition shrug.

Quick take:

• Pick: Bengals -6.5
• Why: Cincinnati is leaning into starter reps early while Detroit rests Jared Goff and its top units
• The number to watch: Bengals opened as roughly a 6.5-to-7-point favorite across major books

The Lions and Bengals kick off the 2026 preseason Thursday night at Paycor Stadium, and the approach from each sideline could not look more different. Dan Campbell has already said Jared Goff and most of Detroit’s established starters will sit this one out, saving their first live snaps for the second preseason game against Washington on Aug. 22. Zac Taylor is taking the opposite path in Cincinnati, confirming that Burrow, Chase, Higgins and defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence will all see the field, even if only briefly, as the Bengals shake off the rust in front of their own fans.

That split creates a lopsided game on paper before either team snaps the ball. Detroit is coming off a disappointing 2025 season and has real questions to sort out at cornerback, linebacker and safety, with both Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch still working back from offseason issues. Cincinnati, by contrast, returns its starting five up front for the first time since Burrow’s arrival and enters camp with far fewer holes to fill, even with tackle Amarius Mims and the receiver room behind Chase and Higgins drawing plenty of attention.

Why the Market Already Favors Cincinnati

Preseason lines are always thin — with backups and roster-bubble players filling most of the snaps, oddsmakers are essentially pricing in coaching intent more than talent. That’s exactly what’s happening here. DraftKings opened Cincinnati as roughly a 6.5-to-7-point favorite with a moneyline near -265 to -300, and FanDuel and BetMGM posted similar numbers. The total sits in the high 30s, right around 37.5 to 38.5, which tracks with a game where both teams’ first-string offenses will barely be on the field.

Altmyer’s Audition and the Bengals’ Bottom-of-the-Roster Fights

With Goff sidelined and Teddy Bridgewater having stepped away from the team, undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer is set to take the bulk of Detroit’s snaps at Paycor Stadium. The Illinois product was already ticketed for heavy preseason work as the No. 2 quarterback, and Bridgewater’s exit accelerates his audition for a roster spot. Everything Altmyer does Thursday — reading protections, extending plays, finding checkdowns against a Cincinnati front that will rotate its own backups in and out — gets magnified because Detroit needs an actual answer at backup quarterback, not just preseason snaps to burn.

Cincinnati’s starting offensive line returns intact for the first time since Joe Burrow arrived in 2020.

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On the Bengals’ side, the more interesting battles are buried deeper on the depth chart. Fourth-round rookie Colbie Young has already pushed his way into the No. 2 receiver conversation behind Tee Higgins, and third-round cornerback Tacario Davis is fighting for reps behind Dax Hill on the boundary. Up front, Cody Ford leads a tackle competition that’s still unsettled behind Mims and Orlando Brown Jr. None of that shows up in a moneyline, but it’s the actual football being played once the Bengals’ brief starter cameo ends.

Detroit’s own audition list is just as long. Rock Ya-Sin and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. are competing for the CB2 job opposite D.J. Reed, and Christian Mahogany is trying to hold off Tate Ratledge at left guard. Those reps matter for August roster cuts even if the scoreboard means nothing.

Detroit’s linebacker room is also worth watching given the offseason departure of longtime starter Alex Anzalone. Malcolm Rodriguez gets the first crack at replacing him, with veteran addition Devin White in the mix as camp progresses. Neither is likely to log extensive preseason snaps against Cincinnati, but every rep against a Bengals offense featuring even a handful of true starters carries more evaluative value than a typical August drill.

Prediction and Best Bet

Cincinnati’s brief look from its stars, combined with a healthier and more experienced offensive line already in sync, should be enough to build an early lead that Detroit’s backups can’t fully erase. Altmyer will get every opportunity to show growth, and there could be a scramble or two worth remembering, but a defense stacked with Bengals depth players who are actively fighting for roster spots typically plays with more urgency in preseason openers than one that’s rotating in bodies with less on the line. Expect a competitive first half before Cincinnati’s superior depth wins out late.

Sun, Sep 13 • 1:00 PM	Spread	Money	Total
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	+4 (-110)	+172	O 50.5 (-109)
Cincinnati Bengals	-4 (-110)	-200	U 50.5 (-110)

The pick:

1. Prediction: Cincinnati Bengals 23, Detroit Lions 16
2. Best Bet: Bengals -6.5

If you’re tracking preseason numbers for your own odds and probability before betting real money once the games count, Thursday’s opener is a decent early data point on both rosters. For bettors looking to get a head start on the regular season, checking a DraftKings promo code now means the account is ready well before Week 1 kicks off.