The Bengals’ offensive line is a unique combination of youth and experience. It’s also a combination of free agent acquisitions and draft picks.
As far as breakout candidates go, third-year right tackle Amarius Mims has gotten several picks to be just that for the Bengals this season.
However, in Pro Football Focus’ breakout candidate for all 32 NFL teams, they listed a different offensive lineman: Second-year left guard Dylan Fairchild.
Here is what PFF’s Gordon McGuiness had to say about the Bengals’ third-round pick out of Georgia in the 2025 NFL Draft:
The Bengals drafted guard Dylan Fairchild with the 81st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and the former Georgia Bulldog started 15 games as a rookie. Over the final eight games of the season, his 74.3 PFF pass-blocking grade ranked first among rookie guards and fourth among all rookie offensive linemen. He is capable of developing into the Bengals’ best offensive lineman by the end of the 2026 season.
Fairchild proved right away he belongs and can play at a high level in the NFL. Expectations are high for the promising left guard, as he looks to continue to validate his candidacy to be the Bengals’ long-term left guard.
If Fairchild can make a big jump this season along with Mims, this offensive line could really surprise people and potentially become a top-10 unit.
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