Cincinnati Bengals fans will get to see the team’s best players take the field for the first time this year Thursday night in the preseason opener against the Detroit Lions.

But Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Dexter Lawrence don’t have anything to prove just yet. Not in an exhibition, anyways. The preseason is about all the players who are not yet established. Those who came into the league with high expectations and haven’t met them yet, or are simply brand new to the scene, eager to make noise.

These are the kinds of players I am most interested in watching when Cincinnati hosts Detroit. Here are five that need to play well for the home team.

Dohnte Meyers

Colbie Young has turned plenty of heads, but the ascending wide receiver with the most to gain in the preseason is Dohnte Meyers. Meyers is not guaranteed to roster by the end of this month, but like Young, he’s taking advantage of every single target that’s come his way in training camp.

We’ve seen this before. The Bengals have a rich recent history of previously unknown wideouts make the preseason their playground, and build truly strong cases to make the 53-man roster. Meyers has a legitimate chance of beating out both Charlie Jones and Ke’Shawn Williams to be the last receiver in a group that is mostly solidified. Thursday night will be his first chance to do just that.

Jack Endries

It’s not just about who has been shining in training camp. There are players who I want to see more of in the preseason because of their relative lack of impact in practice. That is firmly the case for a rookie tight end Jack Endries.

Cincinnati’s first of two seventh-round picks from this year’s NFL Draft has been practically invisible through two weeks of practice. It is immediately tough to stand out in a group of seven TEs, and opportunity has rarely been there for him, but Endries was considered one of the best value pics of the entire draft. He has the talent, on paper, to make the roster. He needs to start proving it against another team.

Brian Parker II

The Bengals drafted two offensive lineman this year, but only one of them will play Thursday night as fourth round pick Connor Lew will not be making his debut at center. Brian Parker II, however, should be playing a lot throughout the game.

Parker has taken reps at both guard spots with the second team in camp, and going back to the offseason workout program, h’se snapped at center as well. He may end up playing all three positions against Detroit as Jacob Bayer is the only other backup C behind starter Ted Karras. Whatever position Parker plays the most, I want to see how he’s progressed as there hasn’t been a lot of talk about him.

Kris Jenkins Jr.

There has been a spotlight on Kris Jenkins Jr. since the beginning of the offseason. The Bengals’ second-round pick from 2024 was essentially demoted thanks to the free agent signing of Jonathan Allen. He’s still taken first-team reps with Allen resting periodically, and B.J. Hill still on the Physically Unable to Perform list, but his role for the regular season is very much up in the air.

Year 3 is a big one for defensive tackles. It’s tough for young players to immediately contribute at the position in today’s NFL, but there are no excuses left for Jenkins to look the part of a former top-50 selection. He needs to have a really promising preseason, and going up against the Lions’ embattled offensive line will be very telling.

Josh Newton

Another member of the 2024 class with a lot prove, Josh Newton is currently on the outside looking in at the cornerback room. It was only a year ago Newton was a Week 1 starter. He’s now competing for roster spot with DJ Ivey, and Ivey has flashed with the first team while Dax Hill has been working through an injury.

If Newton wants to make this competition closer, he needs to start building momentum. He began making progress earlier this week during the teams final practice before the preseason. Carrying that into an actual game can do wonders for him.