Minnesota Vikings vs Cincinnati Bengals NFL Preview: Team news, betting, tickets, live stream, Fantasy Football and more

The Cincinnati Bengals visit U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 21, to take on the Minnesota Vikings in a pivotal Week 3 contest.

It's been a stop-start opening for the Vikings (1-1). They edged out Chicago 27-24 in Week 1 but came crashing back down with a flat 22-6 defeat to Atlanta. The offensive line has been shaky, and now they'll be without J.J. McCarthy, ruled out with an ankle knock. 

Meanwhile, the Bengals (2-0) have come flying out of the gates, sneaking past Cleveland 17-16 before outlasting Jacksonville 31-27. They’ve leaned heavily on Ja’Marr Chase and a timely defense, but losing Joe Burrow for the next three months is a hammer blow.

Minnesota Vikings vs Cincinnati Bengals kick-off time

The Vikings and Bengals will meet in Week 3 of the NFL season at U.S. Bank Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Sunday, September 21, starting at 1:00 pm ET.

Team news & squads

Minnesota Vikings team news

For Minnesota, the injury bug has struck early. J.J. McCarthy is sidelined, leaving Carson Wentz under center, though McCarthy’s absence doesn’t significantly alter the passing outlook given his rocky start to the year. Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson remain must-starts regardless of who’s throwing the ball.

In the backfield, the loss of Aaron Jones shifts the workload to Ty Chandler Mason, who boasts one of the best rushing efficiency profiles in the league and now faces a Bengals defense that has already given up three touchdowns to running backs.

Through two weeks, Jordan Mason has been the engine of Minnesota’s ground game, racking up 98 rushing yards. In the air attack, no surprise—Justin Jefferson is leading the charge with seven receptions for 125 yards and a score, while Jalen Nailor has added four catches for 59 yards.

On defense, Ivan Pace has been everywhere, tallying 14 tackles, nine of them solo. Theo Jackson isn’t far behind with 13 stops, including eight solo. Up front, Javon Hargrave has set the tone with two sacks to pace the Vikings’ pass rush.

Vikings Injury Report : J.J. McCarthy, QB - Questionable , Aaron Jones, RB - Questionable , Andrew Van Ginkel, LB - Questionable , Jeff Okudah, CB - Questionable , Christian Darrisaw, OT - Questionable

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Cincinnati Bengals team news

The Bengals are bracing for life without Joe Burrow, who is set to miss the next few months, and all eyes now turn to Jake Browning. Cincinnati is reportedly exploring the trade market for quarterback help, but Browning will at least get one shot to prove he can steady the ship. He stepped in for seven games last year, going 4-3 while completing over 70% of his passes for 1,936 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven picks.

Chase Brown has shouldered the rushing load, picking up 90 yards and finding the end zone once, while Joe Burrow has barely factored into the run game with just three yards. Through the air, Ja’Marr Chase has been electric, already hauling in 16 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown. Noah Fant has emerged as a solid option too, posting seven catches for 54 yards and a score.

Defensively, Daxton Hill has been a tackling machine with 18 stops, 14 of them solo. Jordan Battle is right there with 16 tackles and has also made noise in coverage, picking off two passes. Hill and DJ Turner have each added an interception of their own, while Trey Hendrickson continues to lead the charge in the trenches with two sacks.

Bengals Injury Report : Joe Burrow, QB - Out , Shermar Stewart, DE - Doubtful , Lucas Patrick, G - IR , Cordell Volson, G - IR , Cedric Johnson, DE - IR-R

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Watch and live stream Vikings vs Bengals in the USA

The Vikings vs Bengals game in Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season will be broadcast live on CBS. Fans can catch the coverage onParamount+(Try for free today!) and Fubo.

More details on where to watch the game in the United States, including streaming options, will be released soon, so keep an eye out for our dedicated coverage.

Watch and live stream Vikings vs Bengals worldwide

For fans outside the U.S. looking to stay plugged into the action,NFL Game Pass on DAZN is the ultimate ticket. It serves up more than 200 regular-season and playoff matchups, complete Super Bowl coverage, plus access to NFL Network, NFL RedZone, and plenty more to keep you locked in all year long.

To bypass regional restrictions or to access the game if you are travelling abroad, you can watch the action using a Virtual Private Network like ExpressVPN.

How to buy Vikings vs Bengals tickets

The showdown between the Vikings and Bengals is set for U.S Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a venue that packs in up to 73,000 fans and promises a fiery atmosphere on game day.

Tickets are already up for grabs on StubHub, with entry starting at $386. From there, prices climb through the tiers — $300, $400, $500, $600, $700, $800, $900, $1,000, and stretching all the way into the premium ranges of $2,000, $3,000, $4,000, $5,000, $6,000, and topping out at $10,406 for the best seats in the house.

Check the link below for the full breakdown of how to purchase tickets to NFL games.

READ MORE: NFL 2025 Tickets: Prices, deals, season tickets & membership information

Vikings vs Bengals Fantasy Football

The Bengals are turning to Jake Browning (15.6 projected W3 fpts) under center after Joe Burrow was ruled out for roughly three months, if not the entire season. Browning showed grit in Sunday’s comeback win, completing 21 of 32 passes (65.6%) for 241 yards, tossing two touchdowns but also three interceptions. For fantasy managers, he’s a sensible pickup—especially for those who lost Burrow or in Superflex formats.

Browning benefits from operating in a pass-heavy system with elite weapons at his disposal, but the upcoming slate of opponents keeps him in the mid-to-low QB2 category. Any bonus production would be exactly that—a bonus.

On the other side, Carson Wentz (15 fpts) is expected to step in for the injured J.J. McCarthy. The veteran has made cameo starts the past two seasons with the Rams and Chiefs in Week 18 scenarios, but now he gets a shot in Kevin O’Connell’s offense, which leans heavily on Justin Jefferson (11.8 fpts). That alone raises his intrigue, provided he can avoid turnovers.

Even so, Minnesota’s injury list makes Wentz a risky play. They’ll be missing Jordan Addison and Aaron Jones, while key linemen like Ryan Kelly and Justin Skule (already filling in for Christian Darrisaw) are stuck in concussion protocol. Cincinnati isn’t at full strength either, with rookie Shemar Stewart sidelined by an ankle injury.

Vikings vs Bengals Game Predictions

Current projections give Minnesota a slight edge with a 51.1% chance of victory, while Cincinnati sits close behind at 48.5%, leaving only a slim margin for the possibility of a tie.

Week 2 storylines loom large over this matchup. The Vikings are protecting a young quarterback who’s shown vulnerability under pressure behind an offensive line surrendering an NFL-worst 18 percent sack rate. On the other side, the Bengals are likely to roll with backup signal-caller Jake Browning against defensive coordinator Brian Flores, a master at disguising blitzes and disrupting even seasoned passers. Neither secondary is fully equipped to contain elite wideouts like Ja’Marr Chase or Justin Jefferson, making this clash feel like a true toss-up. In a game this tight, siding with the stronger defense and steadier coaching staff could be the difference.

Vikings vs Bengals Betting Odds

Spread : Bengals +3 (-102) | Vikings -3 (-118)

Moneyline: Bengals +142 | Vikings -170

Total: OVER 41.5 (-105) | UNDER 41.5 (-115)

Form

Head-to-Head Record

Useful links

• Vikings 2025 NFL schedule: TV channel, livestream & where to watch the games
• Bengals 2025 NFL schedule: TV channel, livestream & where to watch the games
• How to watch and live stream NFL football for free and without cable
• 2025 fantasy football rankings: Running back (RB) | Wide receiver (WR) | Tight end (TE) | Quarterback (QB)