The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will begin the 2026 slate on Sunday with a road matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on FOX. Both teams will vie for relevance in their respective conferences after missing the playoffs in 2025. Following their appearances in Super Bowl LVI in 2021 and the AFC Championship Game in 2022, the Bengals have not made a postseason run, relinquishing the throne in the AFC North. The club made a blockbuster trade for Dexter Lawrence II in the offseason, signaling their intention for contention and effort in building a defense that complements their high-octane offense featuring Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers enter a new era without cornerstones Mike Evans and Lavonte David, while ushering in a reimagined offense under Zac Robinson that will mimic the 2024 system with Liam Coen. Last season, the Bucs' streak of four division titles came to a halt, and the club revamped the defense in the offseason. On Sunday, here are five Buccaneers to monitor:
Kenny Gainwell
The Buccaneers bolstered the ground attack this offseason with free agent acquisition Kenny Gainwell. After signing with the Steelers in 2025, Gainwell posted career highs in attempts (114), rushing yards (537), receptions (73) and receiving touchdowns (three). He became one-of-five backs in the league to record at least 500 rushing yards and 450 receiving yards last season. The slash back has outstanding change-of-direction, vision and pass-catching upside. He alters his rush track without wasting momentum and has been effective making cuts off wide zone. Gainwell can run a legitimate route tree and although he may not be a bruiser, he does not shy away from contact. Linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. was drafted by the Bengals in the second round of the 2025 draft and finished second on the team last season in tackles with 106. The fluid athlete quickly diagnoses and is physical in the box. He quickly slips by blockers and stays disciplined in run fits, as well as zone drops. Gainwell has elevated the passing game throughout the offseason workout program and Knight will be tasked with trying to mitigate the effectiveness of the former Steelers' team MVP.
Jacob Parrish
Ja'Marr Chase is one of the best receivers in the game, producing otherworldly performances year after year. In 2024, he won the receiving Triple Crown, leading the NFL in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708) and touchdown receptions (17). In 2025, despite a shift at quarterback following Joe Burrow's injury, Chase led all players with 185 targets (career-best) and tallied another 125 catches and 1,412 yards. He runs an advanced route tree and is dangerous in the open field. Chase can take it to the house at any point with his vertical acceleration. The ball magnet possesses superb downfield ball-tracking ability and can turn a scramble drill situation into a game-altering play. On Sunday, both outside cornerbacks Zyon McCollum and Jacob Parrish will have the responsibility of limiting Chase's YAC. Parrish, the Bucs' 2025 third-round pick, played most of last year at nickel. He earned the outside job opposite McCollum and is feisty in man coverage. He stays in phase with physicality and has the speed to stay with downfield threats. Parrish closes the window in off coverage with short-area burst and he opens the year with a sizeable opportunity.
Rueben Bain Jr.
Amarius Mims, the Bengals' first-round draft pick from 2024, developed down the stretch last season. Over the last several years, the Bengals have made a concerted effort to stabilize the line around Burrow, and Mims fortified the unit. He plays with active hands, stellar recovery tools and uses his mass to help combat power rushers. Mims can redirect with ease and will face another highly-touted player out of college, Bucs' first-rounder Rueben Bain Jr. Bain has monopolized the internet with quick wins during one-on-one pass rush reps during joint practices and made his presence felt during the preseason with a wicked hump move. He lived in the backfield all through camp with rare ankle flexion, an advanced rush repertoire and ability to deconstruct blocks with violence. He led the FBS in pressures last season with 83 and his tenacity, power and leveraged onslaught have galvanized the Bucs' defensive front.
Graham Barton
The Bengals acquired Dexter Lawrence II in a big trade, a telling move from the conservative franchise. Lawrence leads the league in total pressures (103) among defensive tackles since 2022. From 2022-24, Lawrence accumulated 21.0 sacks, three Pro Bowl invitations and two All-Pro nods. He may utilize dancing antics for comedic relief on the field, but his play needs no introduction. He rushes from an unconventional spot at the nose yet can still knock the quarterback to the ground after splitting a double team. Lawrence intimidates with size and power and is both a punishing bull rusher and run stuffer. Teams have all but abandoned rushing through the A-gap against Lawrence and on Sunday, center Graham Barton will certainly find himself in some combo blocks against the Bengals' menace. The 2024 first-round pick is the middle man in the Bucs' line and possesses immense core strength. Barton explodes into blocks and is a smooth climber in space. Barton finishes with stout body control and he will face one of the league's talented specimens at Paycor Stadium.
Alex Anzalone
Alex Anzalone, one of the Bucs' six selected captains, will don the green dot for Todd Bowles' unit in 2026. The Bucs signed Anzalone back in March and the veteran inside linebacker quickly engendered trust from players and coaches with his relentlessness on the field and leadership style. Since Anzalone joined the Lions in 2021, he is the only linebacker in the NFL to have posted at least 450 tackles, 30 passes defensed and 9.0 or more sacks. His 33 passes defensed over that stretch are tied for the fourth-most among linebackers. Anzalone has sensational range, fluid hips for quick turns in space and the coverage prowess to stay with running backs and tight ends down the field. He can collapse the pocket as a blitzer and he will help limit Bengals running back Chase Brown on Sunday. Brown amassed 1,019 rushing yards last season on 232 totes and finished fifth in receptions in each of the past two seasons. Brown quickly cuts downhill and grinds between the tackles. He runs fluid routes and his dual-threat flexibility helped strengthen the Bengals' offense in 2025. Brown became the go-to in short-yardage and checkdowns, spurring Cincinnati.
