Paul Dehner Jr. reports that Bengals WR Tee Higgins is day-to-day with his adductor injury and could play Sunday vs. the Dolphins. This has to be viewed as good news, as it means even if he misses this week, with the Bengals having a Week 6 bye, he’d likely miss no more than one game.
With Ja’Marr Chase in concussion protocol and other Bengals WR’s dealing with injuries, Dohnte Meyers and Mitchell Tinsley are the only two healthy WR’s on the active roster right now. Fantasy football managers will need to keep an eye on practice reports as the week goes on to see if Higgins will be able to go. Meyers could be worth adding for at least a week, coming off of a strong game with 7 catches and 82 yards.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (heel) did not...
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins has put ...
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins remains one of...
Jaron May reports that Ja’Marr Chase is in concussion protocol after leaving Week 4’s game in the 2nd quarter with a concussion. Chase will need to clear the league’s concussion protocol before he can return to the lineup.
With Tee Higgins also injured in the game, Andrei Iosivas on IR, and Colbie Young dealing with a knee injury, it could be feel-good-story Dohnte Meyers (7 catches on 9 targets for 82 yards in Week 4) leading the WR room in Week 5 vs. the Dolphins along with Mitchell Tinsley. Mike Gesicki would also see an uptick in targets. Fantasy football managers will need to keep an eye on how Chase progresses through the concussion protocol this week leading up to Sunday.
Bengals superstar QB Joe Burrow is officially active today and will get the start vs. the Texans, despite the Questionable tag. Burrow did say he’d be out there playing if he wasn’t having surgery, so it seemed like he would play but now it is confirmed. Burrow ranked No. 5 in True Passer Rating last season and remains one of the games true elite Quarterbacks.
Despite facing the Texans defense, fantasy football managers can start your normal Bengals with confidence as the Texans did allow 36 points in Week 1 vs. the Bills. Granted, the Bills have a great offense, but there is no shortage of weapons on the Bengals either.
Petraglia reported that while Joe Burrow was limited for a second straight day, he did much more during the media observation period of practice. Burrow himself said “If I’m not getting surgery, I’ll be out there.” when asked about his status Sunday due to the back tightness bothering him.
Burrow can be expected to play against the Texans on Sunday. While the Texans have a tough defense, they did allow 36 points to the Bills last week – so you shouldn’t fade Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins or Chase Brown despite the matchup. Fantasy football manager’s should keep an eye on Burrow’s practice participation tomorrow to see if there are any setbacks. Joe Flacco would get the start in the unlikely event Burrow is unable to play.
The Cincinnati Bengals select WR Colbie Young with the 40th pick in the fourth round (#140) overall.
The Cincinnati Bengals just secured a massive, 6-foot-5 target in Colbie Young at No. 140, a physically imposing X-receiver who pairs a solid 20.1 Breakout Age with the frame to bully cornerbacks in the red zone. Young posted a 4.49-second 40-yard dash and a 22.0% College Dominator Rating —including a dominant 73.5% Catch Rate in his final year at Georgia—while operating as a premier “big slot” or boundary weapon.
For dynasty players, this pick is likely to sit behind Tee Higgins as an injury insurance policy and should only be considered late in rookie drafts.
For the second time this season, a concussion will prevent Tee Higgins from taking the field for the Bengals against division-rival Baltimore.
Higgins missed the first game in Baltimore—a Cincinnati victory on Thanksgiving—because he was unable to clear concussion protocol from the previous week’s game against the Patriots. He returned after missing the turkey day victory, thanks in part to Cincinnati’s extra three days’ rest. Once cleared, the wide receiver joined the team for their game in Buffalo and returned to the lineup. From a production standpoint, he seemed no worse for wear, putting up a gaudy six catch, 92-yard performance, and found the end zone twice in the loss.
What’s not shown in the box score was Higgins’ repeated acrobatic contested catches against a helpless Buffalo coverage. However, not once or twice, but multiple times, fans watched as the wideout’s helmet banged hard on the turf— seemingly after every catch.
Higgins visited the blue tent twice after separate impacts and was allowed to return to play on each occasion. However, after the game was over, No. 5 self-notified trainers of symptoms suggesting a second concussion. Bells and sirens went off at league offices, but interviews and a short investigation turned up no wrongdoing by the team doctors, trainers, or specialists.
This week, Higgins has been ruled out against Baltimore (again) in a division where there is no upper hand amongst the three teams vying. It’s fair to assume that Higgins has to hit more measureables for his second concussion before he is cleared. The two are so close together, all parties will want to be sure that there is no chance for a third.
Fantasy Lowdown: This does virtually nothing to Joe Burrow’s projections, but it will make Ja’Marr Chase’s job a little harder with extra attention being paid. Slight bumps will go back to the hyper-athletic Mitchell Tinsley and red zone threat Andre Iosivas. However, the big fantasy bump is to tight end Mike Gesicki. The rapport he has with Burrow is undeniable, and when Higgins has missed time in the past, Gesicki often lines up as a wide receiver from the slot. He’s worth a look as a flex streamer while Higgins is out in Week 15 or possibly longer.
Author: Samwise (@BuyAndSellYou)
