Cincinnati Bengals News

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Samaje Perine • RB • Bengals

Samaje Perine Worth a Look in Deep Leagues

After rushing for 382 yards and three touchdowns on a 4.5-yard-per-carry average a year ago, Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine appears poised to enter his 10th season as the primary backup to Chase Brown. With little in-game information to go off of, proactive fantasy managers with the luxury of deep benches should be looking to churn through the backs of their rosters, targeting players whose waiver value would see the greatest jump as the result of a Week 1 injury ahead of them, and Perine fits that bill. 2025 sixth-round pick Tahj Brooks, who carried the ball 16 times for only 45 yards as a rookie, is the only other running back on the Bengals' 53-man roster, making Perine a potentially valuable handcuff to roster who can easily be moved on from as more obvious waiver candidates emerge after Week 1.

8 hours ago

Tee Higgins • WR • Bengals

Tee Higgins Seen Practicing on Monday

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (heel) was back on the practice field on Monday, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer's Kelsey Conway. In addition to Higgins, star wideout Ja'Marr Chase (knee) was also participating in the portion of practice open to the media. Both wideouts could be limited, but the fact that they are both practicing early in the week bodes well for their availability in the Week 1 season opener on Sunday, Sept. 13, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Head coach Zac Taylor said early last week that Higgins was dealing with a minor bruised heel, so the 27-year-old has never really been in danger of missing the start of the 2026 campaign this weekend. The former second-rounder was a first-time Pro Bowler in 2025, catching 59 of his 98 targets for 846 yards and a career-high 11 touchdowns in only 15 games played. Higgins also had 10 TDs the year prior, and he will be a must-start in all fantasy football formats this Sunday against the Bucs if he is active, as is expected. Fantasy managers will want to check back in on Cincy's first official practice report of the year on Wednesday for a better idea of Higgins' status.

Yesterday

Ja'Marr Chase • WR • Bengals

Ja'Marr Chase Practicing on Monday

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (knee) was back at practice on Monday as the team prepares for its regular-season opener on Sunday, Sept. 13, versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to Kelsey Conway of The Cincinnati Enquirer. Fellow wideout Tee Higgins (heel) was also seen practicing on Monday, so quarterback Joe Burrow figures to have both of his top pass-catchers available to kick off the 2026 campaign. The 26-year-old Chase, who is the consensus top overall fantasy receiver, hyperextended his left knee in practice on Aug. 25 while trying to come down with a pass and was held out of action last week as a precaution. Thankfully, the star wideout avoided a serious injury that would sideline him for the start of the upcoming season, and he should be active as a must-start in all fantasy football leagues against the Bucs. The Bengals will release their first official practice report of the year on Wednesday, at which point we should have a clearer picture of Chase's Week 1 status. For now, though, fantasy managers should have him locked into starting lineups until further notice.

Yesterday

Samaje Perine • RB • Bengals

Samaje Perine a Handcuff Sleeper in Fantasy Football

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine is an under-the-radar handcuff to target in 2026 fantasy football drafts. Chase Brown has essentially cemented himself as the Bengals' workhorse running back role, but Perine would be the next man up if he misses any time due to injury. Brown averaged 17.7 touches per game last season, including 4.1 catches per game, and a large portion of those would belong to Perine if Brown ends up sidelined. Perine's receiving volume dipped last year, but we saw him rush for 382 yards, which was his highest total since 2022. Additionally, he scored three touchdowns, which was another thing he hadn't done since 2022. It'll be hard to get any standalone value out of Perine during a given week, but at such a low ADP (242), he's a great late-round handcuff for managers who already drafted Brown.

2 days ago

Mike Gesicki • TE • Bengals

Mike Gesicki Falling Down Draft Boards

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki is falling down draft boards and falling out of favor in fantasy football leagues. The Bengals currently list Drew Sample as the starting tight end on the depth chart. While it is certainly possible that Gesicki plays alongside Sample in two-tight end sets, it doesn't seem that Gesicki has an obvious path to fantasy relevance in 2026. Gesicki missed four games in 2025 due to a pectoral strain and recorded 28 receptions for 307 yards and two touchdowns. Sample recorded 15 catches for 106 yards and a touchdown last year. Gesicki is currently going undrafted in redraft leagues and is rostered in just 1% of Yahoo leagues. He ranks as RotoBaller's No. 30 tight end in half-PPR formats. It is best to leave Gesicki on the waiver wire and monitor his situation throughout the season.

2 days ago

Andrei Iosivas • WR • Bengals

Andrei Iosivas Has Less Room for Error This Year

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas is still holding onto the No. 3 job, but the players behind him made that spot feel a little less comfortable this summer. Iosivas caught 33 passes for 435 yards and two touchdowns last season, numbers that already left him well outside the weekly fantasy picture behind Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. He had a good camp himself, and Cincinnati's current depth chart still lists him with the first-team offense. The concern is what happened behind him. Fourth-round rookie Colbie Young kept making plays downfield and scored in the preseason, while Dohnte Meyers finished August with a team-high 11 catches for 121 yards and repeatedly stood out in practice. Bengals coaches have continued to point to Iosivas' experience as an advantage, so this is not a case of him losing the job. It is a case of the margin getting thinner. With Chase and Higgins already soaking up most of the useful volume, even a small reduction in snaps would make Iosivas tougher to justify outside of deeper leagues.

3 days ago

Chase Brown • RB • Bengals

Chase Brown Ready For Three-Down Role in Bengals Offense

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown is looking like an elite fantasy player with his every down role in what should be one of the most explosive offenses in the league. Stacked in the Bengals offense with quarterback Joe Burrow, and receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, Brown figures to be heavily involved in the passing game apart from his role as the early down running back. That makes for a potential first round draft pick in leagues still drafting. According to Ben Baby of ESPN, Burrow praised Brown's versatility and pass-blocking ability. "I think there's very few backs in this league that you can say that about," Burrow said. "And when you have a guy like that, you don't have to take him off the field." Brown ranked ninth in the league last season with 1,456 total scrimmage yards and included in that was 437 receiving yards ranking sixth in the league. Look for even more involvement for Brown this season.

3 days ago

Joe Burrow • QB • Bengals

Joe Burrow Thinks This Year's Bengals Team is "Different"

Speaking on teammate Ja'Marr Chase's new podcast, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow said he is extremely optimistic about the 2026 season and has high hopes for the team, according to Kevin Patra of NFL.com. "I just want to win this year," Burrow said. "I just want to win. The rest will take care of itself. I think we'll break a bunch of records eventually, but I think we're going to have a really good team that has a chance to win every game that we step foot on the field for. I don't know about you, but I could really feel it in my bones, in my soul in OTAs this year -- different from years past." Burrow has also compared this Cincy squad to his 2019 LSU squad that won the national championship and has said he is "trying to manifest" another Super Bowl run. The 29-year-old three-time Pro Bowler is one of the few QBs who has top-five fantasy upside at the position strictly because of his arm and his elite pass-catching duo of Chase and Tee Higgins. As long as Burrow can stay healthy, he should bounce back as a high-end QB1 in fantasy football in 2026.

5 days ago

Tee Higgins • WR • Bengals

Tee Higgins Misses Practice on Wednesday

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (heel) did not practice with the team on Wednesday, according to Ben Baby of ESPN. Higgins also missed practice on Tuesday with a bruised heel, but head coach Zac Taylor said it was a minor issue. Barring a setback, Higgins should be ready to rock for the Week 1 regular-season opener next Sunday, Sept. 13, versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Top wideout Ja'Marr Chase (knee) is also out this week with a knee injury that he suffered last week, but he, too, is expected to be fine for Week 1. Higgins' minor heel injury should not make fantasy managers hesitant to use an early-round pick on him as a low-end WR1/high-end WR2. The 27-year-old former second-rounder from Clemson would be the WR1 on many teams around the league. Even in Chase's shadow, Higgins has managed to put up high-end production while battling through injuries. As a first-time Pro Bowler in 2025, Higgins had 59 receptions for 846 yards and a career-high 11 touchdowns in 15 games. Higgins has 21 touchdown catches in the last two seasons and has averaged a healthy 14 yards per catch in his six NFL seasons.

6 days ago

Ja'Marr Chase • WR • Bengals

Ja'Marr Chase Not in Uniform on Wednesday

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (knee) was not in uniform and did not practice on Wednesday, according to Gabi Sorrentino of FOX 19 Cincinnati. Chase hyperextended his left knee while trying to catch a pass last week in training camp practice and has not seen the field since. Head coach Zac Taylor said on Tuesday that Chase would be limited this week and that he "feels good about" where the 26-year-old is with the regular-season opener coming on Sunday, Sept. 13, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The five-time Pro Bowler might also be limited in some practices next week, but it does not sound like he is in danger of missing the start of the 2026 season. The former fifth overall pick from LSU in 2021 has five straight 1,000-yard campaigns to begin his career, including a whopping 520 receptions and 54 touchdown catches in 78 games played. With quarterback Joe Burrow healthy and throwing him passes, Chase is still the consensus top overall receiver for fantasy football managers in 2026.

6 days ago

Chase Brown • RB • Bengals

Chase Brown Expanding His Role, a Bonafide RB1 For Fantasy Football

Cincinnati Bengals 26-year-old running back Chase Brown finished the 2025 season as the RB8 and rushed for 1,019 yards (4.39 YPC) and six touchdowns, along with 88 targets, 69 receptions, 437 receiving yards, and five touchdowns through the air. Reports from camp have been glowing, as head coach Zac Taylor has put Brown at the center of unique offensive schemes, moving him out wide, in the slot, and utilizing him in pre-snap motion. Additionally, camp reports highlight that Brown is looking explosive and has been making big plays throughout training camp. There's no question that Brown is going early in drafts this season; however, the added context of his versatility in the passing game only raises his ceiling, and with quarterback Joe Burrow healthy, Brown has the upside to finish as a top-10 running back for a second straight season. RotoBaller ranks Brown as the RB9 heading into drafts, and he is in line for another massive season in a potent offense.

6 days ago

Tee Higgins • WR • Bengals

Tee Higgins Dealing With Minor Heel Contusion

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (heel) is dealing with a heel contusion that is not considered a major concern for the Week 1 regular-season opener, according to Ben Baby of ESPN. Top Bengals wideout Ja'Marr Chase is also being eased back into practices after suffering a left-knee injury in training camp practice last week, but as long as there are no setbacks, both Higgins and Chase are expected to be ready to roll on Sunday, Sept. 13, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Despite Chase drawing a massive target share as one of the top overall receivers in football, the 27-year-old Higgins gets his, too, in a pass-happy Bengals offense. The former second-rounder in 2020 from Clemson has not had a 1,000-yard receiving season since 2022, but he has racked up 21 touchdown catches in the last two years and went for 846 yards in just 15 games in 2025 in his sixth year in the league. As long as both Higgins and quarterback Joe Burrow stay healthy, Higgins will be a high-end WR2, at the very least, in an explosive pass-first offense in Cincy.

7 days ago

Ja'Marr Chase • WR • Bengals

Ja'Marr Chase to Be Limited This Week, No Real Concerns

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said that wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (knee) will be limited throughout this week in practice, but he "feels good about where he is," according to Jeremy Rauch of FOX 19 Cincinnati. The fantasy football community had a scare last week when Chase injured his left knee in training camp last Tuesday after landing awkwardly. The 26-year-old suffered a minor hyperextension of his knee, and the Bengals are being cautious with him as the 2026 regular season quickly approaching. As long as Chase does not suffer a setback with his knee in practice this week and next week, he should be good to go for the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday, Sept. 13. There is no reason for fantasy managers not to take him as the first receiver off the board in fantasy football drafts. The five-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro had a down year in 2025 and still had 125 catches, 1,412 receiving yards, and eight receiving touchdowns on a league-high 185 targets across 16 starts.

7 days ago

Tee Higgins • WR • Bengals

Tee Higgins Looks Ready to Pick Up Where He Left Off

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins has quietly had the kind of August fantasy managers wanted to see. He caught 59 passes for 846 yards and a career-high 11 touchdowns last season, even with Joe Burrow limited to eight games, and that scoring connection has carried into camp. Burrow ended an Aug. 9 practice with a touchdown to Higgins, who boxed out DJ Ivey in the end zone. Eleven days later, Higgins caught all five passes thrown his way during a joint practice with Chicago, including another red-zone score. There is still no getting around Ja'Marr Chase, who commanded 185 targets last season, and durability remains the obvious concern after Higgins has completed only one 17-game season in his career. Still, the role has looked exactly as advertised this summer. RotoBaller has Higgins at WR16 after a WR15 finish in 2025, and he enters Week 1 looking like one of the stronger high-end WR2 bets on the board.

Aug 31

Dohnte Meyers • WR • Bengals

Dohnte Meyers Makes Bengals' Initial 53-Man Roster

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Dohnte Meyers has made the team's initial 53-man roster, according to Charlie Clifford. Meyers came over from the CFL in January and kept making plays throughout his first NFL summer. He led Cincinnati with 11 catches for 121 yards in the preseason, including three grabs for 51 yards on the opening drive Friday against Philadelphia. That was his only series of the night. Meyers also got first-team work while Ja'Marr Chase was sidelined earlier in the week. The 26-year-old earned his NFL opportunity after catching 65 passes for 1,056 yards and eight touchdowns for Saskatchewan last season and helping the Roughriders win the Grey Cup. Meyers is buried behind an established group led by Chase and Tee Higgins, so there isn't an obvious path to fantasy value right away. Still, his work on offense and in the return game was enough to turn a January futures signing into a spot on Cincinnati's 53.

Aug 30

Josh Johnson • QB • Bengals | Josh Johnson • RB

Bengals Release Veteran Quarterback Josh Johnson

The Cincinnati Bengals released veteran quarterback Josh Johnson on Sunday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The end of the line could be coming for the 40-year-old journeyman QB who has spent time with the Bengals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, and Cleveland Browns over the course of his 10 NFL seasons since being drafted in the fifth round by Tampa back in 2008 from the University of San Diego. If Johnson does latch on with another squad before the start of the 2026 campaign, he will merely be veteran QB depth with a path to a starting role very unlikely. He played in five games (two starts) with the Commanders last year and threw for 372 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions on 54 passing attempts. Johnson has a 58.7% career completion percentage with 2,669 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions in 50 games (11 starts).

Aug 30

Dohnte Meyers • WR • Bengals

Dohnte Meyers has Another Team-Leading Performance

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Dohnte Meyers has been one of the best stories out of training camp, and in Friday's preseason win over the Eagles, he turned in another strong performance in his push to earn a role behind Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Playing on only the first drive of the night, Meyers caught three passes for 51 yards, with head coach Zac Taylor saying after the game, "He's trying to take advantage of the opportunity. He's done a great job of that." An undrafted free agent out of Division II Delta State, Meyers played the last two seasons in the Canadian Football League, but he finishes the 2026 preseason with a team-leading 121 receiving yards on 11 receptions, and he has a realistic chance not only to make the team but to find early-season involvement in what has long been a top-heavy receiver room.

Aug 29

Samaje Perine • RB • Bengals

Samaje Perine a Fine Handcuff with Receiving Upside

Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine isn't expected to have a very consistent role out of the backfield behind Chase Brown. However, we should see him get involved on some passing downs, and he's also a decent handcuff option for managers who are already planning to draft Brown. Last year in Cincy, the veteran running back tallied 382 rushing yards, 87 receiving yards, and three touchdowns across 15 games, ranking as the RB57 in PPR leagues. It was an interesting year for the 30-year-old, who posted his second-highest rushing yard total since 2017 but his lowest receiving yard total since 2020. Last year seemed like an outlier season for Perine, who is well established as a pass-catching option out of the backfield. He should see his receptions and receiving yards increase this year, but whether he'll have any standalone value remains uncertain. The Bengals gave Brown 17.7 touches per game last year, and that includes games where the offense was struggling with Joe Burrow sidelined. This is clearly Brown's backfield, so anyone looking to draft Perine in fantasy football should wait until the last couple of rounds.

Aug 28

Joe Burrow • QB • Bengals

Joe Burrow Has a Hefty Price Tag with Some Injury Risk

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is one of the best fantasy football weapons when healthy, but injuries have consistently plagued him over the last three years. As a result, fantasy managers might be hesitant to spend a premium pick on the quarterback if he's not a lock to play more than half the season. Burrow has missed at least seven games in two of the last three years. Last season, he missed nine games and ended up finishing as the overall QB29 in fantasy football. When he's healthy, he puts up top-tier numbers with star wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins at his disposal, but managers who were burned by him last year may want to avoid the risk of drafting him again this year. The injury risk isn't really baked into his price tag, either. He's being drafted at an ADP of 60.3, which makes him the fourth quarterback off the board. Meanwhile, he's the QB5 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings. Managers should consider waiting a couple of rounds to take a more dependable option like Caleb Williams or Trevor Lawrence. At the very least, managers who draft Burrow should have a solid backup quarterback option in case he misses significant time again.

Aug 28

Dohnte Meyers • WR • Bengals

Dohnte Meyers a "Roster Lock," Becoming a Receiver to Watch

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Dohnte Meyers might be "the best story in any NFL training camp" this summer, according to The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr. When top wideout Ja'Marr Chase went down earlier this week in practice with a knee scare, Meyers was running with the first team. Dehner adds that Meyers has been "undeniable" in his bid for a roster spot because of the consistency of his playmaking at every turn, when at first it felt like his only path to make the team was as a kick returner on special teams. The 26-year-old stuck around after practice to work with quarterback Joe Burrow on Wednesday and is now "a roster lock" with an offensive role in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. "Physically, he's quick, he's fast, he's got another gear," receivers coach Troy Walters said. Meyers has worked his tail off and is versatile, so he could put a lot of pressure on Andrei Iosivas for the WR3 role sooner rather than later behind Chase and Tee Higgins. It will not be easy, though, as rookie fourth-rounder Colbie Young has also looked good in camp with plenty of highlight catches. For now, Meyers is an interesting bench stash in dynasty/keeper leagues.

Aug 28

Cincinnati Bengals News

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