Joe Burrow Brings a Six-Touchdown Game to Madrid as the Bengals Face Michael Penix Jr. and the Reeling Falcons: Week 9 Preview

The NFL's Madrid game on Sunday pairs two quarterbacks heading in opposite directions. Joe Burrow just threw for 462 yards and five touchdowns, then ran in the winner, in a 43-36 overtime victory over Tennessee that moved Cincinnati to 5-2. Michael Penix Jr. just threw four interceptions in a 16-0 loss to Tampa Bay that dropped Atlanta to 3-5. The Falcons are the designated home team at the Bernabeu, and the Bengals are favored by about a field goal with one of the highest totals on the Week 9 board.

For fantasy managers, this is a must-watch early window: Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase are in peak form, Bijan Robinson anchors the Falcons, and an overseas setting adds a wrinkle to routines and kickoff timing.

Burrow's historic Sunday

Burrow led three straight touchdown drives late to force overtime against the Titans, then scored on a 9-yard run in the extra period. Most outlets credited him with 38 completions on 48 attempts (ESPN's recap listed 33), and his six-touchdown day put him in rare company in the NFL record book. Entering Week 9 he has 20 touchdown passes against six interceptions.

Here is how Cincinnati's main producers finished against Tennessee.

Chase's 30-yard score was one of several explosive plays, and he remains the most reliable WR1 in fantasy when Burrow is cooking. Chase Brown's day was mixed: strong receiving volume, but a lost fumble set up a Tennessee go-ahead drive. His role is secure because of how much he catches, which keeps him an RB2 in PPR formats.

The defensive concern for Cincinnati

The Bengals also allowed 36 points and 440 yards, with Cam Ward throwing for 304 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Cincinnati overcame four turnovers of its own to win. ESPN reported that linebackers Cedric Johnson (left ankle) and Cashius Howell (right wrist) and cornerback DJ Turner (left ankle) were injured in the second half; their status for Madrid had not been clarified as of Tuesday.

That matters for Atlanta's fantasy outlook. If Turner is out, Drake London draws a softer coverage matchup, and a short-handed linebacker group is a problem against Robinson in space.

Penix and the Falcons' passing problem

Penix completed 8 of 24 passes for 125 yards in the shutout loss in Tampa. Three of his four interceptions came in the first half in heavy rain, but local coverage noted the fourth came after the rain stopped and was simply a poor read. He said afterward there were no excuses. Over six games, Penix is completing roughly 62 percent of his passes with nine touchdowns and five interceptions, and Atlanta has lost three of its last four.

The Falcons' fantasy outlook is therefore built around volume concentration. Bijan Robinson is the engine and an every-week RB1, and he should see significant receiving work if Atlanta trails. Drake London is a WR2 whose floor depends on Penix bouncing back; he is the clear top target in an offense that will have to throw if Cincinnati scores early. Penix himself is a QB2 with some upside in a high-total game, but his turnover risk makes him a risky start.

Why this total is high

The market has this game in the low 50s, among the highest totals of the week alongside Cowboys-Colts and Raiders-49ers. The logic is straightforward: Burrow is playing at an MVP level, Cincinnati's defense has given up big numbers, and Atlanta has the skill players to keep pace if Penix protects the ball.

For bettors, the key question is whether Atlanta can score enough to make the over viable. Cincinnati has improved to a middle-of-the-pack scoring defense this season after finishing near the bottom a year ago, but last week showed how quickly that can unravel. If Penix turns the ball over early, the more likely outcome is a Bengals lead and a game that grinds down in the second half.

DFS and lineup notes

In DFS, the Madrid game sits on its own early window for many contests and on the main slate for others, depending on the site. Burrow and Chase are the obvious stack. The leverage play is a Robinson bring-back: if the game shoots out, Atlanta's best path to points runs through him, and he is less likely to be as popular as Chase.

International games carry travel considerations. Both teams fly overseas, and historically scoring in these games has been unpredictable. That is a reason not to overreact to the total in either direction.

The Verdexed angle

The matchup is a clean test of quarterback form against team quality: Burrow at his best against a Falcons team whose quarterback just threw four interceptions and that has lost three of four. Verdexed's game-by-game view for Week 9 will be in the picks piece at /blog/nfl-week-9-picks-2026, and live win probabilities are on the /nfl/predictions page.

What to do in your league: start Burrow, Chase and Robinson without hesitation, keep Brown in PPR lineups as an RB2, and treat London as a WR2 whose floor is tied to Penix. Leave Penix on the bench unless you are desperate in a two-quarterback league.