Bengals fans won't have to wait for the regular season to see their stars: Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Dexter Lawrence are all slated to play in Cincinnati's preseason opener against the Detroit Lions on Thursday night.

"For our fans to come out there, they're going to see Joe, Ja'Marr, and Tee. They're going to see Dexter," head coach Zac Taylor said, according to NBC Sports, though he cautioned that playing time for the starters will be limited to a series or two. The game kicks off at 7 p.m. ET at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.

A Deliberate Strategy

Taylor is continuing an approach he used last preseason, betting that a small dose of live reps against a real opponent helps his top players sharpen timing before the games start counting. He's indicated that not every regular starter will suit up, citing minor, non-serious injuries for a handful of players, but he doesn't expect any issues to linger into the regular season.

THEY'RE GOING TO SEE JOE, JA'MARR, AND TEE. THEY'RE GOING TO SEE DEXTER.

For Detroit, the trip to Cincinnati marks the first look at the Lions' 2026 roster in a live game setting, with the club using the preseason opener to evaluate roster battles further down the depth chart while resting most of its own established starters, per typical NFL preseason practice.

How long Burrow and company stay in the game will ultimately be a real-time decision by Taylor based on how the first couple of series go. Cincinnati's next tune-up comes the following week before final roster cuts loom ahead of the regular-season opener next month.