Opening week of the 2023 NFL season features more heralded games, but you can do worse than the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns renewing their AFC North division rivalry on Sunday.
We'll get to our Bengals vs. Browns odds, props, and predictions in due time, but NFL Week 1 represents a prime time to build your bankroll heading into the new football season. You can do that by claiming the best sportsbook betting bonuses here.
Bengals vs. Browns Betting Lines: Point Spread, Moneyline & Total
Here are Bengals vs. Browns odds on top-rated sports betting apps:
Bengals vs. Browns Betting Trends
- The Bengals were 13-6 ATS last year including playoff games
- Cincinnati was 5-2 ATS as a road favorite last season
- The Bengals are 5-1 ATS in their last six road tilts
- Cleveland has gone Under the total in six of its last seven games
- The Browns were 2-1 ATS as a home dog last season
- Cleveland was 8-9 ATS overall last year
Bengals vs. Browns Analysis, Prediction
The conversation here begins with Joe Burrow, who is reportedly fully recovered from the calf injury that shelved him for much of the preseason. The presumption is Burrow will be at 100%.
One of Cincinnati's main offseason pursuits was galvanizing its offensive line to better protect Burrow, who was sacked 41 times last season (sixth-most in the NFL) after getting dropped a league-high 51 times in 2021.
In their biggest move, the Bengals signed OLT Orlando Brown Jr. away from the Chiefs. Brown will protect Burrow from the "blind side" position, and he represents a significant upgrade over Jonah Williams. Williams shifted to right tackle and will attempt to improve on a lackluster 2022 campaign.
Cincinnati's main task is to contain Browns DE Myles Garrett, who was second in the NFL in sacks with 16 last season. Cleveland has the ability to move Garrett around, and that cat and mouse game will go a long way toward determining Sunday's winner.
Cincinnati has one of the league's most dynamic offenses, but it needs to get the ground game going with Joe Mixon to open up passing options for WRs Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Mixon was held to 27 yards in a 32-13 loss the last time these teams played in Cleveland on Halloween last year.
Jacoby Brissett started at QB for Cleveland, which now has a rejuvenated Deshaun Watson back in the fold. Expect head coach Kevin Stefanski to lean more on the passing game with Watson this year.
Nick Chubb (third in the NFL with 1,525 rushing yards in 2022) can set the tone on the ground, but the Browns will attack more through the air with WRs Amari Cooper, Elijah Moore, and Donovan Peoples-Jones getting their fair share of targets. Also look for TE David Njoku to play a prominent role in the season opener.
Our Pick: It's no secret that Cleveland has owned the season series in recent years, winning five of the last six games outright since 2020. Nobody wants to reverse that trend more than Burrow and Co.
We're anticipating a tight game between these two AFC North rivals, and Cincy coming away with the win. As much as we love the Browns in our NFL Week 1 teaser picks, the forecast here calls for the Bengals to cover a short number and win 24-20. Take Cincinnati -1.5.
Bengals vs. Browns Props
Here is a sampling of Bengals vs. Browns player props from FanDuel for bettors not interested in the spread, total, or moneyline. We're focusing on anytime TD scorers here.
Anytime TD Scorer (excludes TD passes)
- Joe Mixon +190
- Nick Chubb +190
- Ja'Marr Chase +220
- Tee Higgins +330
- Amari Cooper +380
- Tyler Boyd +500
- David Njoku +550
- Irv Smith Jr. +600
- Deshaun Watson +650
- Joe Burrow +700
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