5 Jaguars whose stock is soaring after a close but convincing win vs. Bengals

It wasn't pretty, but the Jacksonville Jaguars kept the Cincinnati Bengals at bay in Week 4, winning 22-17 in spite of a concerning amount of penalties. Then again, that's precisely why the Jags deserve praise, as they managed to come out on top despite the fact that they consistently shot themselves in the foot.

Sure, Jacksonville will need to clean up the penalties when it faces the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 5. But for the time being, head coach Liam Coen should be thrilled with his players' effort and their refusal to throw in the towel at Paycor Stadium.

Speaking of which, these five players are watching their stock soar after delivering against the Bengals.

5 Jaguars whose stock is soaring after the gritty win vs. the Bengals

Rayuan Lane III, safety

Rayuan Lane wasn't particularly great in coverage in Week 4, giving up five receptions on six targets for 78 yards. That said, the sophomore safety came up clutch when Jacksonville needed him the most, tackling running back Chase Brown one yard short of the first-down marker.

Had Chase gotten a fresh set of downs, the outcome of the game would probably have been different, but Lane put an end to Cincinnati's comeback attempt.

Chris Rodriguez, running back

The Jaguars signed Chris Rodriguez in free agency because they saw him as part of the solution to fix the stink from last year, a.k.a. the running game.

Although Rodriguez missed the whole offseason program, he was available for training camp and made a strong impression. But then the regular season came, and the former Kentucky Wildcat didn't do much of note... until the past two games.

In the first two weeks, Rodriguez had a combined 12 carries for 36 yards. He had eight carries for 37 yards with a touchdown against the New England Patriots. The Riverdale, Georgia native followed that up with another strong outing, toting the rock six times for 35 yards against the Bengals in Week 4.

He's certainly been part of the solution.

Cole Van Lanen, right tackle

On a day in which the whole offensive line struggled to protect Trevor Lawrence, right tackle managed to stand out, as he didn't give up a pressure and wasn't flagged a single time. That most definitely is worth recogntion when you take into account that the veteran hog molly missed most of training camp and only began to practice with the team just before the regular season started.

Heck, you will probably be hard-pressed to find chatter about Van Lanen suffering a serious injury late in the 2025 season, but that's how dominant he's been.

Travis Hunter, cornerback

After a slow start to the year in which Travis Hunter was part of a rotation, he's quickly proven to be the best of the team's cornerbacks. After registering his first career interception off Drake Maye, No. 12 nearly had another one against Cincinnati. But even though he didn't record a pick, he still made his presence felt, giving up just three receptions on six targets for 21 yards.

Hunter may or may not have a big role on offense in 2026, but it's clear that he's hitting his stride on defense.

Brian Thomas Jr., wide receiver

Credit where credit is due, and Brian Thomas Jr. deserves recognition for making the most of his limited opportunities against the Bengals, reeling in two catches for 18 yards with a touchdown. You could make the case that he barely got any targets, but he did catch both of them, which is better than not catching them.

If Thoms keeps making the most of his targets, he should continue to see his role increase in the near future.

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