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Charlie Jones Charlie Jones Estimated as DNP
Mon, Oct 13, 2025, 4:48 PM
Jones (ribs) was estimated as a DNP on Monday's practice report, Jay Morrison of SI.com reports.
Analysis: Jones must have injured his ribs in Sunday's loss to the Packers, as he went into that contest battling some Achilles pain before being cleared to play. Jones has logged just four offensive snaps all season but handles kickoff and punt returns for the Bengals. If Jones is unable to play Thursday night against the Steelers, Jermaine Burton could get the call to handle return duties. |
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Tanner Hudson Tanner Hudson Officially DNP on Monday
Mon, Oct 13, 2025, 4:45 PM
Hudson (concussion) was estimated as a DNP on Monday's practice report, Jay Morrison of SI.com reports.
Analysis: Hudson came out of Sunday's loss to the Packers with concussion symptoms and is in the league's protocol. It's going to be a difficult challenge for him to gain clearance ahead of Thursday night's date with the Steelers. With Mike Gesicki (pectoral) very unlikely to play, Noah Fant, Drew Sample and Cam Grandy would be in line to handle tight-end duties for Cincinnati. |
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Tanner Hudson Tanner Hudson In concussion protocol
Mon, Oct 13, 2025, 12:14 PM
Coach Zac Taylor said Monday that Hudson is in the league's concussion protocol, Ben Baby of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: With Mike Gesicki (pectoral) going down on the opening drive against the Packers on Sunday, Hudson played elevated offensive snaps and secured four of five targets for 10 yards and one touchdown. He's now injured and looking unlikely to play Thursday night against the Steelers. If Hudson and Gesicki, who is expected to be out for "a while," can't play against Pittsburgh, Noah Fant, Drew Sample and Cam Grandy would likely handle tight-end duties for the Bengals. |
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Mike Gesicki Mike Gesicki Expected to miss some time
Mon, Oct 13, 2025, 12:11 PM
Coach Zac Taylor said Monday that Gesicki (pectoral) will be out for "a while" after being injured in Sunday's loss to the Packers, Ben Baby of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: The team is gathering more information on the extent of Gesicki's injury, but it certainly sounds like he's going to miss multiple games. He's already been ruled out for Week 7 against the Steelers on Thursday night. Gesicki played just two offensive snaps against the Packers before he was injured on the Bengals' opening drive. Tanner Hudson filled in as the primary receiving tight end, securing four of five targets for 10 yards and one touchdown, but Hudson is now in the league's concussion protocol. If both Gesicki and Hudson can't play Thursday, Noah Fant, Drew Sample and Cam Grandy would likely handle tight-end duties. |
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Noah Fant Noah Fant Secures all four targets
Mon, Oct 13, 2025, 11:21 AM
Fant caught all four of his targets for 27 yards in Sunday's 28-17 loss to the Packers.
Analysis: Fant saw an uptick in target opportunities with Joe Flacco under center, though his increased workload can also be contextualized by the departure of Mike Gesicki (pectoral) in the second quarter. In the event that Gesicki is unable to suit up Thursday versus the Steelers on a short week of rest, Fant will get a chance to handle No. 1 tight end duties, making him a potential streaming option for fantasy purposes. Notably, reserve tight end Tanner Hudson drew five targets versus Green Bay, securing four of them for 10 receiving yards and a touchdown. |
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Chase Brown Chase Brown Loses touch dominance
Sun, Oct 12, 2025, 10:08 PM
Brown rushed the ball nine times for 42 yards in Sunday's 27-18 loss to the Packers. He added two catches on two targets for seven yards.
Analysis: Brown finally showed some efficiency on the ground thanks primarily to a 13-yard run shortly before halftime. However, his day was defined by a shift in touch allocation in the Cincinnati backfield, with Samae Perine earning eight total touches to Brown's 11. Game script may have dictated that late in the contest, but Perine drew the first Bengals' carry and only recorded two of his touches when the team was in a hopeless situation on the scoreboard. There's no obvious candidate to fully displace Brown in the Cincinnati backfield, but this was the team's first signal that it may be growing tired of his lack of efficiency. |
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Ja'Marr Chase Ja'Marr Chase Comes through with Flacco
Sun, Oct 12, 2025, 6:55 PM
Chase recorded 10 receptions on 12 targets for 94 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 27-18 loss to the Packers.
Analysis: Chase got a change in quarterback with Joe Flacco under center, and he logged his highest target total since Joe Burrow (toe) has been sidelined. The Packers did a good job limiting his production for most of the game, though Chase eventually managed to break through for long catches of 12, 18 and 19 yards in the second half, the final of which went for an acrobatic touchdown late in the fourth quarter. The performance gives some hope that Chase will remain a reliable fantasy contributor even in the absence of Burrow, as he has now found the end zone and topped 100 receiving yards in consecutive contests. |
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Mike Gesicki Mike Gesicki Won't return Sunday
Sun, Oct 12, 2025, 4:20 PM
Gesicki won't return to Sunday's game against the Packers after suffering a left pectoral injury.
Analysis: Prior to his exit from the game, Gesicki didn't record a catch. In his absence, Noah Fant, Drew Sample and Tanner Hudson will handle the Bengals' tight-end duties versus Green Bay. Gesicki's next chance to see game action will occur Thursday night against the Steelers. |
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Ja'Marr Chase Ja'Marr Chase Active versus Green Bay
Sun, Oct 12, 2025, 2:01 PM
Chase (illness) is listed as active for Sunday's game against the Packers.
Analysis: Chase approached the contest with a 'questionable' designation after he participated in a walk-through Friday before being sent home for the team's practice later that day and officially being deemed a 'DNP.' With his Week 6 availability confirmed, Chase will operate as a key passing target for veteran signal caller Joe Flacco, who has replaced Jake Browning as the Bengals' starting QB. In five games to date, Chase has put together a fantasy-friendly 32/374/3 receiving line on 45 targets. |
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Ja'Marr Chase Ja'Marr Chase On track for Sunday
Sun, Oct 12, 2025, 7:02 AM
Chase (illness) remains listed as questionable but is expected to play Sunday against the Packers, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Per Ben Baby of ESPN.com, Chase participated in a walk-through Friday before being sent home for the team's practice later that day and subsequently being listed as a non-participant. While Adam Schefter of ESPN also suggests that Chase is on track to play Sunday, fantasy managers will nonetheless want to verify the star wideout's status when the Bengals release their inactive list 90 minutes prior to the 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff. Assuming he's cleared to play, Chase will be working with a new quarterback in veteran Joe Flacco, who will displace Jake Browning as the team's starter. |
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Ja'Marr Chase Ja'Marr Chase In line to play Sunday
Sat, Oct 11, 2025, 9:49 PM
Chase (illness), who is officially questionable for Sunday's Week 6 game against Green Bay, is "trending toward playing," NFL reporter Jordan Schultz reports.
Analysis: Chase was deemed questionable entering the weekend after missing Friday's practice due to an illness. The star wideout appears to be doing better, though Schultz notes that the Bengals will see how he feels Sunday morning before making a final decision on his status versus the Packers. Should Chase indeed be able to suit up, he'll be working with a new quarterback, as veteran Joe Flacco is slated to start behind center for Cincinnati after the team acquired him in a trade with Cleveland on Tuesday. |
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Drew Sample Drew Sample Cleared to play Week 6
Fri, Oct 10, 2025, 2:00 PM
Sample (ankle) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Packers, Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Analysis: Sample upgraded his practice participation throughout the week to gain clearance, as he went from a non-participant Wednesday to a limited participant Thursday before practicing without limitations Friday. Sample's impact in the passing game will likely remain limited, as Mike Gesicki and Noah Fant are ahead of him on the depth chart. |
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Charlie Jones Charlie Jones Cleared to face Packers
Fri, Oct 10, 2025, 1:57 PM
Jones (Achilles) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Packers, Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Analysis: Jones upgraded to full practice participation Friday after a pair of limited sessions. He played through this injury in the Week 5 loss to the Lions and should handle his usual role as a returner on punts and kickoffs against the Packers. |
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Ja'Marr Chase Ja'Marr Chase Questionable for Sunday
Fri, Oct 10, 2025, 11:58 AM
Coach Zac Taylor noted Friday that Chase (illness) will be listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Packers, Ben Baby of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Per Baby, Chase didn't practice Friday due to his illness, but Kelsey Conway of The Cincinnati Enquirer previously reported that the wideout participated in the team's walkthrough. In any case, Chase's status now will need to be monitored ahead of Sunday's 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff. Look for added context on that front to arrive late Saturday or early Sunday, once national reporters like ESPN's Adam Schefter and/or NFL Network's Ian Rapoport post their weekly injury/status updates. |
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Drew Sample Drew Sample Upgrades to limited practice
Thu, Oct 9, 2025, 3:44 PM
Sample (ankle) was limited in practice Thursday, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Sample missed practice Wednesday, so his ability to handle limited reps bodes well for the depth tight end's chances of being cleared to suit up on the road against Green Bay on Sunday. Cincinnati's move to trade for a new starting quarterback in the form of veteran Joe Flacco could provide a spark for this passing game, but both Mike Gesicki and Noah Fant rank ahead of Sample on the depth chart, especially as pass-catching options. If Sample can upgrade to full practice reps Friday, he'll likely avoid an injury designation for Week 6. |
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Charlie Jones Charlie Jones Limited to open week
Wed, Oct 8, 2025, 4:54 PM
Jones (Achilles) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Jones was dealing with an Achilles injury heading into the Bengals' Week 5 clash against the Lions. He was cleared to play in that contest and finished the game with 154 yards on six kickoff returns and six yards on one punt return (along with three fair catches) in Sunday's 37-24 loss. The 2023 fourth-rounder is still working through his Achilles injury, but he would avoid an injury designation heading into Week 6 against the Packers if he were to upgrade to a full practice participant over the next two days. |
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Drew Sample Drew Sample Working through ankle injury
Wed, Oct 8, 2025, 4:48 PM
Sample did not participate in Wednesday's practice due to an ankle injury, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Sample played 41 snaps (27 on offense, 14 on special teams) and logged one catch for minus-1 yard during the Bengals' 37-24 loss to the Lions in Week 5. He has come out of that contest worse for wear with an ankle injury, and he'll have two more opportunities to return to practice and avoid an injury designation heading into Sunday's contest against the Packers at Lambeau Field. Tanner Hudson and Cam Grandy would be in line to step up as the TE3 behind Mike Gesicki and Noah Fant if Sample is not cleared to play against Green Bay. |
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Jake Browning Jake Browning Giving way to Flacco on Sunday
Wed, Oct 8, 2025, 12:20 PM
Browning is set to move into a backup role with Joe Flacco having been named the starting QB for Sunday's game against the Packers, Geoff Hobson of the Bengals' official site reports.
Analysis: With Browning having gone 0-3 as a starter since taking over for franchise QB Joe Burrow (toe) -- who is on IR -- in Week 3, the Bengals traded for Flacco on Tuesday. Coach Zac Taylor then quickly made the change at signal-caller, while noting Wednesday, per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic, that Flacco's style "fits our style" and that the 40-year-old will take all the first-team QB reps ahead of Week 6 action. |
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Joe Flacco Joe Flacco Named starter for Sunday
Wed, Oct 8, 2025, 12:08 PM
Coach Zac Taylor revealed Wednesday that Flacco will start Sunday's game against the Packers, Geoff Hobson of the Bengals' official site reports.
Analysis: The Bengals acquired Flacco from the Browns on Tuesday, and Taylor quickly named the veteran QB the starter for the 2-3 team, which has dropped three straight games. With Flacco moving into into the No. 1 signal-caller role, Jake Browning is in line to work in a backup capacity this weekend. Flacco thus represents an option for those in two-QB formats or who are looking for a bye week plug-in ahead of Week 6 action. |
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Tahj Brooks Tahj Brooks Limited to special teams in Week 5
Wed, Oct 8, 2025, 10:48 AM
Brooks played all 12 of his snaps on special teams in Sunday's 37-24 loss to the Lions.
Analysis: After drawing some positive buzz in the spring and during training camp, Brooks has been unable to find a role on offense through the first five weeks of the season after averaging just 3.5 yards per carry on 21 totes during the preseason. Though starter Chase Brown (2.5 YPC) has gotten off to a rough start to begin the campaign, veteran backup Samaje Perine has been serviceable as a change-of-pace option behind Brown and has the trust of the coaching staff for his pass-catching and pass-blocking skills. With that in mind, Brooks may have a difficult time seeing the field as a rookie unless one of Brown or Perine misses time due to an injury. |
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