Cincinnati Bengals Week 8 Stock Report

After a week away to lick wounds, maybe celebrate a little over a 6-0 start and prepare for a rough stretch of schedule, the Cincinnati Bengals are back and looking Week 8 right in the eye.

First up is a date with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the team will once again have to prove the 6-0 start isn't the product of an easy schedule. Erasing the ghosts of a season sweep at the hands of the Steelers last year wouldn't hurt, either.

Let's take a stock gauge of the Bengals coming out of the bye with an emphasis both on individual players and key talking points around the team as it prepares for Sunday's AFC North clash.

Stock Up: Vontaze Burfict

Al Behrman/Associated Press

Vontaze Burfict will return sooner rather than later.

Vontaze Burfict is well on his way back.

While he didn't practice Monday, the Columbus Dispatch noted that he looked good running individual drills on the side field. Defensive coordinator Paul Guenther then spoke with the paper about what it would mean to have the team's best linebacker in the fold.

“There’s some matchups and different things you can do with a player like that,” Guenther said. “He’s one of our best players when he’s in there. It’s no different than having a top running back or a top receiver. Your plan changes. Certainly when he gets back, it will be good.”

While he might not be back this week, this is the first step in an important process for Burfict. His presence on the field would prevent opposing teams from attacking Cincinnati linebackers thanks to his skill in coverage, and that's the tip of the iceberg in terms of the difference he can make. 

Out of the bye, this is progress. 

Stock Down: Jeremy Hill

Bill Wippert/Associated Press

For now, Jeremy Hill's stock is low.

It's the elephant in the room when it comes to the Bengals: Jeremy Hill isn't where the team needs him.

Yet.

Ask offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, though, and he's confident Hill will improve out of the bye, per the Cincinnati Enquirer's Jim Owczarski:

"

He still doesn't play like I want him to play yet, I'll be the first to tell you guys that. I'm not going to run from that, he can't run from it either. I mean, there's another level for him and he'll get there and I believe that with my whole heart.

Whatever it is, it is, so I'm not going to run from that. He scored a touchdown (against Buffalo), he had some good strong runs but I know the player he can be so I'm going to keep pushing him to get there. I mean, we need him. He's going to be a huge part down the stretch run once we get back here (after the bye).

"

Hill has lost some carries to Giovani Bernard this year, but it's clear the coaching staff won't ever come close to giving up on Hill's ability.

Game flow, matchups and simple confidence have derailed Hill's season to this point. The words from Jackson and support from the organization, though, show loud and clear that everyone will believe in Hill when the team needs him the most.

Stock Up: Confidence

Bill Wippert/Associated Press

These Bengals believe, which is half the battle.

The media might not be on board with the Bengals as Super Bowl contenders, but the team sure sounds like it is.

"What we've done is win every chance we've had, and there's a lot more of that we're going to have to do going forward to put ourselves in position to do what we want," tackle Andrew Whitworth told Joe Kay of the Associated Press. "And that's to make the playoffs and have the opportunity to go to the Super Bowl."

Whitworth isn't alone in his confidence, as wideout Marvin Jones told Kay that "it's great that we're 6-0, but we're chasing something great and we know it."

Who needs quotes, though? One can see on the field that the Bengals believe they have a bigger goal this year, with the epic comeback against the Seattle Seahawks perhaps the biggest evidence of all.

A team that believes is dangerous, as the Bengals have been so far.

Stock Down: Strength of Schedule

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Things pick up for the Bengals out of the bye.

Detractors will point out that the combined record of Cincinnati's first four opponents is just 14-26.

It's a fair point, if not a little on the silly side considering the Bengals helped make the records so bad. Alas, there's no denying that things pick up in difficulty after the bye with two AFC North encounters right away and then a trip to the desert to take on the red-hot Arizona Cardinals and old friend Carson Palmer.

Three of the team's last five games are also AFC North contests, and the second-to-last game is a trip to Denver to take on the currently undefeated Broncos.

If the Bengals are going to ride confidence and execution to the major postseason goals, the rocky path presents a worthwhile test.

Stock Up: Andy Dalton

Bill Wippert/Associated Press

Andy Dalton has some of the league's highest stock right now.

It deserves being said again.

Andy Dalton's play has the team where it is today. So does his leadership that is nothing short of infectious.

"It's just going out there with confidence," defensive end Carlos Dunlap said, per Kay. "I know you all have noticed with Andy. He's on top of everything."

It's to the point where conversations about Dalton's hairstyle are out there and being used as a way to compliment his play and impact on the team. 

Feels good to be winning, right?

Perhaps no player in the league has stock as high as Dalton's right now; some might even consider him in contention for the MVP award. He's earned it, although now the conversation turns to whether he can keep this ball rolling.

Stats courtesy of NFL.com and are accurate as of October 27. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.