Bengals vs Eagles Picks, Props, Betting Lines & Who’s Playing?

• The Bengals are 6.5-point favorites over the Eagles in NFL preseason action tonight
• Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and other key Cincy starters will play, while Philly is expected to rest its top players
• See my favorite Bengals vs Eagles picks and props below, plus betting lines and a list of who’s playing

Last week’s Hall-of-Fame Game whet our NFL appetite, and now we’re staring a full slate of preseason games this week starting tonight. The most intriguing matchup features the defending-champion Philadelphia Eagles hosting the Cincinnati Bengals, with online sportsbooks making Cincy a sizeable favorite in the NFL odds. 

I disagree, at least over the course of a full 60 minutes, so keep reading to find out why, plus see the rest of my favorite Bengals vs Eagles picks below.

CIN Bengals vs PHI Eagles Betting Lines

Cincinnati is currently listed as a 6.5-point road favorite and -250 on the moneyline, while Philly comes back as a +210 underdog. The total currently sits at 37.5, with the juice shaded to the under.

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Odds as of August 7th at FanDuel. New customers can claim the FanDuel promo code and get a bonus to use on Bengals vs Eagles.

Who’s Playing in Bengals vs Eagles?

The reason why Cincinnati is getting so much more respect than the Eagles, who are a top-three favorite in the Super Bowl odds, is they’re planning on playing the bulk of their offensive starters for several series. That includes Joe Burrow, one of the betting favorites in the NFL MVP odds, along with wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. 

Burrow, Chase, and others have asked for more preseason reps this summer, hoping to fine tune their craft ahead of Week 1. 

Philadelphia, however, is in no hurry to get their stars game reps. The Eagles are expected to sit all key offensive starters tonight, continuing the theme from previous preseasons in the Nick Sirianni era. Jalen Hurts and the number ones haven’t seen a snap of preseason football in back-to-back years, with Hurts last playing an exhibition game in 2022, when he logged just a single series. 

On the other side of the ball, there are starting spots up for grabs, and fans are itching to get a look at rookie linebacker Jihaad Campbell. Philly’s first round pick has been turning heads in camp, drawing comparisons to Micah Parsons.

Notable Bengals and Eagles Playing Tonight

As for the Cincinnati defense, it was a punching bag for enemy offenses last season, and did little in the offseason to address their issues. The Bengals ranked bottom-eight in scoring defense, yards allowed and EPA on that side of the ball, and were one of only four teams to surrender 30+ TD passes. 

Trey Henderickson remains unsigned, while four additional defensive starters will sit out for various reasons. If you thought Cincy’s projected starting defense was vulnerable, as most do, imagine what the second and third stringers are like. One Bengal defender to pay attention to is first round rookie Shemar Stewart. He recently ended his own holdout, and is expected to contribute right away off the edge.

Bengals vs Eagles Picks

• Bengals First Quarter Spread -0.5 (-105)
• Eagles +6.5 (-115)

The Cincinnati offense was a top-six scoring unit last season, and should find some success early on versus the Eagles backups. After that, I would hesitate to trust the Bengals. Philadelphia has a significant coaching advantage, and substantially more depth.

The Eagles should also be able to move the ball, as they have reliable QB options with NFL experience. Tanner McKee will get the first crack at running the offense, and he looked very good last season completing 66.7% of his passes, with 4 TD and 0 INT.

Behind him is Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and while he’s a fringe NFL QB, he’s started games in the past and his dual-threat abilities can wreak havoc on inexperienced defenders.

Bengals vs Eagles Props

Which is why I’m betting Cincy to cover the -0.5 point 1st quarter spread, but am leaning Philadelphia to cover over the full 60 minutes. Expect Burrow and Co. to jump out to an early lead, but for the tide to turn once the Bengal starters exit the game.

Under head coach Zac Taylor, Cincinnati is 1-8-1 straight up in 10 preseason games. They’re notoriously slow starters, and a lot of that can be pitted on underwhelming coaching. I’m much more bullish on Sirianni and his staff, and am confident they can keep this game close even without their number ones.