Ask Cincinnati Bengals’ left guard Dylan Fairchild about the keys to his improvement this season, and he will sum it up in one word – fundamentals.
“The fundamental, basic stuff is what’s gonna get the win,” Fairchild said in a locker room interview before the Week 17 game against the Arizona Cardinals. “It all comes down to knowing your teammates, knowing the guys that are next to you.”
Fairchild’s contributions were recognized recently when he was named to the NFL All-Rookie team compiled by ESPN’s Ben Solak. Fairchild was tabbed as a second-team selection behind Seattle’s Grey Zabel.
“One of the least-known rookies on this list, Fairchild has gotten better each week and makes splash blocks with impressive quickness and core strength for his size,” Solak wrote. “He was a developmental player coming out of Georgia and looks to be ahead of his curve. He’s a nice middle-round find for the Bengals.”
The Bengals selected Fairchild in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft at No. 81 overall, and he stepped into a starting role almost immediately. To date, he has earned an overall grade of 60.8 from Pro Football Focus, good for 42nd among all eligible guards.
Fairchild has been most efficient at pass blocking with a 66.8 grade that ranks him among the top 28 guards. He has allowed only two sacks and five hits so far this season, with 29 total pressures, and has been a key cog in an offensive line that is allowing a 5.4% sack rate, good for 11th best in the NFL.
”I’d say just the feel of the game,” Fairchild said of his development. “Orlando (Brown Jr.) and Ted (Karras) have helped me a ton with that. Just feeling the game, and just kind of dialing it down in terms of the simplicity of it. It’s a super detailed game, and you’ve got to lock in and key in on those details. But it’s still football, you know? It’s complex, but it’s simple. You can make it simple.”
Fairchild has struggled somewhat with his run blocking, and his PFF grade of 57.4 reflects those struggles. But he knows where to find the answers.
“Just great execution, seeing through one set of eyes and just trusting in our fundamentals,” Fairchild said. “Everything breaks down to the basic techniques and fundamental stuff that we do. Just playing as one unit, playing as one.”
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