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Mitch Tinsley Mitch Tinsley Held catchless in win
Mon, Dec 22, 2025, 10:27 PM
Tinsley failed to reel in his lone target in Sunday's 45-21 win over the Dolphins.
Analysis: Tinsley played 22 of the Bengals' 61 offensive snaps Sunday, behind Ja'Marr Chase (53), Tee Higgins (38) and Andrei Iosivas (31). With Higgins returning from a concussion that sidelined him in Week 15, the 26-year-old Tinsley was a complete non-factor in the contest, taking a backseat in Cincinnati's passing attack against a vulnerable Dolphins defense. The Penn State product should not be trusted for fantasy purposes heading into a Week 17 matchup against the Cardinals. |
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Samaje Perine Samaje Perine Finds end zone in easy win
Sun, Dec 21, 2025, 8:11 PM
Perine rushed seven times for 25 yards and one touchdown in the Bengals' 45-21 win over the Dolphins on Sunday. He added two catches for 16 yards on three targets.
Analysis: Since coming back from an injury in Week 13, Perine has recorded 41 carries across four games, significantly eating into Chase Brown's workload. Brown, however, wasn't affected much against Miami, scoring a trio of touchdowns Sunday. While Brown is healthy, Perine has minimal fantasy appeal outside of the deepest of fantasy leagues. |
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Mike Gesicki Mike Gesicki Grabs TD in Week 16 win
Sun, Dec 21, 2025, 4:25 PM
Gesicki caught three of four targets for 35 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 45-21 win over the Dolphins.
Analysis: The veteran tight end caught the fourth of Joe Burrow's four scores on the day, hauling in a 17-yard TD in the fourth quarter. Gesicki has made just two trips to the end zone in 11 games this season, but they've both come in the last three weeks, a stretch in which he's posted a 10-132-2 line on 12 targets. He'll look to exploit another soft matchup in Week 17 against the Cardinals. |
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Tee Higgins Tee Higgins Hauls in TD in return
Sun, Dec 21, 2025, 4:19 PM
Higgins caught all three of his targets for 53 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 45-21 win over the Dolphins.
Analysis: Making his return from another one-game absence due to a concussion, Higgins made an immediate impact by connecting with Joe Burrow on a nine-yard TD in the first quarter. He's had to sit out two of the last three weeks while in the concussion protocol, but Higgins had has a nose for the end zone this season whenever he's been in the lineup, finding paydirt in six of his last seven appearances and hauling in 10 touchdowns in total over 13 games in 2025. His next score will set a new career high, a mark he'll look to reach in Week 17 against the Cardinals. |
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Ja'Marr Chase Ja'Marr Chase Hits century mark in big win
Sun, Dec 21, 2025, 4:11 PM
Chase caught nine of 11 targets for 109 yards in Sunday's 45-21 win over the Dolphins.
Analysis: The superstar wideout topped 100 receiving yards for the seventh time this season, and the third time in four games since Joe Burrow came off IR. During that four-game stretch, Chase has hauled in 31 catches on 49 targets for 395 yards but curiously hasn't gotten into the end zone once, and his TD drought stands at six games. He'll look to hit paydirt for the first time since Week 7 in a Week 17 clash with the Cardinals. |
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Chase Brown Chase Brown Finds paydirt three times in Miami
Sun, Dec 21, 2025, 4:07 PM
Brown carried the ball 12 times for 66 yards and a touchdown and caught all four of his targets for 43 yards and two more scores in Sunday's 45-21 win over the Dolphins.
Analysis: All three of Brown's trips to the end zone came in the third quarter, making him the first player in the NFL this season with three TDs in the same period. It was the third time in 2025 that the third-year back has scored multiple touchdowns, but he's got only eight TDs in total (four rushing, four receiving) through 15 contests. Brown lines up for another juicy matchup in Week 17 against the Cardinals. |
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Joe Burrow Joe Burrow Chucks four TDs in rout
Sun, Dec 21, 2025, 4:03 PM
Burrow completed 25 of 32 passes for 309 yards and four touchdowns in Sunday's 45-21 win over the Dolphins. He added six rushing yards on two carries.
Analysis: One week after the Bengals got shut out for the first time with Burrow under center, the 29-year-old quarterback bounced back with his best performance of 2025. Burrow hit Tee Higgins for a nine-yard score in the first quarter before really getting going after halftime, finding Chase Brown for two short TDs in the third quarter before connecting with Mike Gesicki for a 17-yard touchdown in the fourth. Burrow has two four-TD games in the last three weeks and a 10:4 TD:INT in four games since returning from a toe injury, and he'll take aim at another struggling defense in a Week 17 clash with the Cardinals. |
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Cam Grandy Cam Grandy Exits with collarbone injury
Sun, Dec 21, 2025, 2:34 PM
Grandy has been ruled out for the rest of Sunday's game against the Dolphins due to a left collarbone injury.
Analysis: Grandy may have picked up the injury during the second half of Sunday's game. The reserve tight end hauled in his lone target for a one-yard reception before departing. |
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Jake Browning Jake Browning Emergency QB3 vs. Miami
Sun, Dec 21, 2025, 10:49 AM
Browning (coach's decision) is inactive but will serve as the Bengals' emergency third quarterback against the Dolphins on Sunday.
Analysis: Browning will serve as the Bengals' emergency QB3 for a fourth consecutive week, which means he is not allowed to play Sunday unless both Joe Burrow and Joe Flacco were to leave the game due to injury, illness or ejection. |
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Tee Higgins Tee Higgins Active versus Dolphins
Sun, Dec 21, 2025, 10:37 AM
Higgins (concussion) is listed as active for Sunday's game against the Dolphins.
Analysis: Higgins, who was limited at practice Wednesday and Thursday, finished up the week with a full session Friday before approaching the contest listed as questionable. With the wideout having advanced through the NFL's concussion protocol, Higgins -- who was inactive in Week 15 -- is set to reclaim his key role in a Cincinnati passing attack helmed once again by QB Joe Burrow (making his fourth straight start since returning from a toe injury), which also features high-volume WR Ja'Marr Chase and RB Chase Brown. In 12 games played to date, Higgins has made his mark from a fantasy perspective by recording a 46/667/9 receiving line on 81 targets. |
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Tee Higgins Tee Higgins On track to play Sunday
Sun, Dec 21, 2025, 9:38 AM
Higgins (concussion) is in line to play Sunday against the Dolphins, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Per Fowler, Higgins, who the Bengals listed as questionable for the contest, is "good to go," with the report noting that the team was hopeful about the wideout's status this weekend but wanted to make sure he felt good Sunday morning. Official confirmation of Higgins' Week 16 playing status is slated to arrive once inactives are posted ahead of Cincinnati's 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff. |
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Tee Higgins Tee Higgins Clears protocol
Sun, Dec 21, 2025, 7:14 AM
Higgins remains listed as questionable for Sunday's game in Miami, but he's on track to play after clearing the five-step concussion protocol, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: After sitting out the Bengals' Week 15 loss to the Ravens due to the concussion -- his second of the season -- Higgins put himself on a path to return to action in Week 16 after he turned in a full practice Friday. Before the Bengals headed to Miami, Higgins made a brief trip to Pittsburgh to complete the final step of the protocol Saturday, when he received clearance from an independent neurologist. Higgins should be ready to handle his typical snap count Sunday. |
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Charlie Jones Charlie Jones Ruled out with injured ankle
Fri, Dec 19, 2025, 3:33 PM
Jones (ankle) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's game against the Dolphins.
Analysis: Jones left last Sunday's game against the Ravens with an ankle injury and was unable to log any practice participation in Week 16. The kick and punt returner's absence will give Ke'Shawn Williams a chance to shine as the lead returner in both roles, with Samaje Perine likely to take over Williams' position as the secondary kick returner. |
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Tee Higgins Tee Higgins Questionable after full practice
Fri, Dec 19, 2025, 2:32 PM
Higgins (concussion) was a full participant in practice Friday but is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Dolphins.
Analysis: Higgins upgraded to full participation after a pair of limited practices, which marks another step forward as he works his way through the NFL's five-step concussion protocol, but he still needs to earn clearance from an independent neurologist before he can play again. If Higgins is cleared, the star wide receiver would likely return Sunday after missing his team's Week 15 loss to the Ravens. Either way, since the Bengals kick off Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET, those considering Higgins in Week 16 fantasy lineups will have his playing status confirmed before the first wave of games that day. |
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Noah Fant Noah Fant Won't play in Week 16
Fri, Dec 19, 2025, 2:28 PM
Fant (ankle) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Dolphins.
Analysis: Fant will sit out due to the ankle injury he sustained in this past Sunday's loss to the Ravens. Drew Sample, Tanner Hudson or Cam Grandy could play additional snaps alongside Mike Gesicki due to Fant's absence. Fant's next chance to play will be Week 17 against the Cardinals. |
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Tee Higgins Tee Higgins Questionable for Sunday
Fri, Dec 19, 2025, 11:32 AM
Higgins (concussion) will be listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Dolphins, Geoff Hobson of the Bengals' official site reports.
Analysis: Per Kelsey Conway of The Cincinnati Enquirer, coach Zac Taylor noted Friday that Higgins -- who was limited at practice Wednesday and Thursday -- still has one more hurdle to clear in the NFL's concussion protocol. Fortunately for those considering the wideout in Week 16 fantasy lineups, the Bengals' kickoff Sunday is at 1:00 p.m. ET. If Higgins isn't cleared to face Miami, Mitchell Tinsley would be in line to see added WR snaps alongside Ja'Marr Chase and Andrei Iosivas. |
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Drew Sample Drew Sample Cleared for Sunday
Thu, Dec 18, 2025, 3:51 PM
Sample (neck) was a full participant in Thursday's practice.
Analysis: Sample upgraded to full participation after being limited in Wednesday's session, and the tight end is free of injury designation for Sunday's game against the Dolphins. The No. 3 tight end has been quite productive for his depth position in the Bengals' offense this season, logging nine receptions for 50 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets. Sample's health stabilizes a tight end room that might be without Noah Fant (ankle) for Sunday's contest. |
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Noah Fant Noah Fant Upgrades to limited practice
Thu, Dec 18, 2025, 3:30 PM
Fant (ankle) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice.
Analysis: Fant was unable to practice Wednesday due to the ankle injury he sustained during Cincinnati's loss to the Ravens in Week 15, but he's now making tangible progress in his recovery. Friday's session will represent Fant's last chance to prove he's capable of handling full practice reps ahead of Sunday's matchup against Miami. |
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Tee Higgins Tee Higgins Logs another limited practice
Thu, Dec 18, 2025, 3:26 PM
Higgins (concussion) was listed as a limited participant in practice Thursday.
Analysis: Ben Baby of ESPN.com notes that Higgins hasn't been a full practice participant since reporting concussion-like symptoms following the Bengals' Dec. 7 loss to the Bills. The wideout thus has one more chance to log a full session this week, and he'll also need to receive clearance from an independent neurologist in order to be removed from the five-step concussion protocol. If Higgins is still limited in Friday's practice, he could be ruled out for Sunday's game against the Dolphins ahead of the weekend. |
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Tee Higgins Tee Higgins Shows up at Thursday's practice
Thu, Dec 18, 2025, 1:13 PM
Higgins (concussion) made an appearance in the final moments of the open portion of Thursday's practice, Ben Baby of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: After not being spotted during the initial portion of the session, Higgins -- who was limited at practice Wednesday -- showed up with a helmet while working with the Bengals' training staff. Ultimately, Thursday's injury report will reveal Higgins' official participation level. |
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