Sunday’s matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals (2-0) and the Minnesota Vikings (1-1) lost some of its luster as both teams’ starting quarterbacks have been ruled out for the contest.
Cincinnati will be without Joe Burrow for up to three months after injuring his toe against the Jaguars. Third-year player Jake Browning came in, completing 21 of his 32 throws for 241 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions.
Although Minnesota’s starter J.J. McCarthy remained in the game last week, he’s out after suffering a sprained ankle. Now the Vikings will turn to veteran Carson Wentz, who will be making history by starting at least one game for six different teams over the past half-dozen years.
Will Browning lead the Bengals to another victory, or can Wentz lead the Vikings to their second win in 2025? We’ll cover that and provide bettors with our top three player props for this contest.
Browning was excellent in relief of Burrow on Sunday. He entered the game midway through the second quarter, and the quarterback led Cincinnati to a come-from-behind victory with his one-yard sneak late in the final period.
Bettors shouldn’t expect Browning to recreate that magic against the Vikings. Minnesota has not allowed a passer more than 210 yards in either game this season. Savvy individuals will take the under on Browning’s player prop bet in Sunday’s game.
The Vikings were planning for Aaron Jones Sr. to be a workhorse back in 2025 with Jordan Mason spelling him. That hasn’t panned out in either game thus far. Against Chicago, Mason has 24 carries to Jones’ 13 rushing attempts.
Now, the Vikings will likely ride Mason for the foreseeable future. Jones suffered an injury that will sideline him for 4-6 weeks, making the fourth-year player the team’s primary running back.
With Wentz running Minnesota’s offense, the Vikings may elect to open up their playbook. That could hurt Mason’s opportunity to surpass his rushing prop total on Sunday, and bettors should take the under.
The Bengals have a strong one-two punch at tight end this season. Veterans Noah Fant and Mike Gesicki are great safety valves for their quarterback, having caught 11 passes for 86 yards and a score through two games.
For bettors, Fant has the best chance of continuing his high usage against the Vikings. He was targeted four times against Jacksonville, catching three of those passes for 28 yards. Expect him to replicate that production against the Vikings on Sunday.
If both starting quarterbacks were present, Cincinnati would almost assuredly be the favorite in this game. The Bengals have more weapons to work with this season, and their defense would provide enough lift to keep them on top.
With Wentz starting, bettors should expect this contest to tilt heavily in Minnesota’s favor. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell is a quarterback whisperer. He’ll have Wentz ready for this contest, and the Vikings will win by more than a field goal on Sunday.