Chase and Higgins Sit Out Tuesday, But Bengals Aren't Sweating Week 1
Both Cincinnati wideouts missed Tuesday's practice with minor knocks. Zac Taylor sees no risk to the Week 1 date with Tampa Bay.
Minor knee tweak, coach expects him Week 1 — lock him in as a WR1.
- Chase hyperextended knee in practice last week
- Higgins nursing a heel contusion
- Both to be limited all week, per Zac Taylor
- Chase: 125 rec, 1,412 yds, 8 TD in 2025 (16 GP)
- Higgins: 11 TD, 210 PPR pts in 2025 (15 GP)
The Bengals' top two receivers both skipped Tuesday's practice, and if you drafted either one, your stomach probably dropped a little. Ja'Marr Chase is dealing with a hyperextended knee suffered in practice last week, while Tee Higgins is managing a heel contusion. Neither took part in the session.
Here's the part that matters for your lineup: head coach Zac Taylor said before practice that both will be limited participants throughout the week, and he expressed zero concern about either missing the Week 1 opener against the Buccaneers. Translation — this is precautionary maintenance, not a red-alert situation.
For context on what's at stake, Chase is coming off a monster 2025 campaign: 125 catches, 1,412 yards and 8 touchdowns across 16 games, good for 314 PPR points. That's a top-five fantasy season at the position, and it's exactly why our model has him ranked #17 overall (#4 among wide receivers) heading into 2026.
Higgins carries plenty of weight too. He posted 59 receptions, 846 yards and a career-best 11 touchdowns in 15 games last season for 210 PPR points, and he was trending up late — averaging 1.7 fantasy points above his season mark over his final five games. Our rankings peg him at #56 overall (#16 at the position), a fringe WR2 with weekly WR1 upside when the red-zone looks pile up.
The Fantasy Fallout
A limited tag on a Tuesday in early September is about as low-stakes as injury news gets. The Bengals have no reason to push either guy hard this week when there's a full slate ahead, and a hyperextended knee that lets Chase keep practicing at all is a good sign the ligament checks came back clean. Higgins' heel is the kind of thing that lingers as a nagging annoyance more than a game-costing injury.
Bottom line: nothing here changes your draft-day plan. Start Chase with total confidence as a WR1 and slot Higgins in as your WR2 or flex. The only move to make is checking the Friday injury report for a possible upgrade to full participation — if that comes, you can stop refreshing your phone and enjoy the opener.
