Thursday was a rough day for Ja’Marr Chase, the Cincinnati Bengals and fans of either.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Thursday afternoon that Chase, one of the NFL’s best receivers, will miss Monday’s Week 8 game against Cleveland and could potentially head to the injured reserve as he deals with a hip injury.
Joe Burrow might be without his best pass-catcher for at least four weeks right as the Bengals seem to be hitting their stride.
And as the Bengals take a hit, so will many fantasy football managers around the world. At least, those who have Ja’Marr Chase on their roster. But Chase’s absence may raise the ceiling for other Bengals. It certainly will for wide receivers Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd.
Bengals’ WR Ja’Marr Chase injured his hip vs the Saints, aggravated it last week and now will be sidelined. https://t.co/722JvPkywa
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 27, 2022
Boyd, the Bengals’ longest-tenured receiver, is having a strong season and caught eight passes for 155 yards and a touchdown last week against the Atlanta Falcons. Meanwhile, Higgins caught five passes for 93 yards last week and has shown flashes of being a true No. 1 receiver.
But if you don’t have either of those two on your fantasy roster, you’ll have to hit the waivers. There you may find guys like Curtis Samuel (Washington Commanders), Garrett Wilson (New York Jets) and Darnell Mooney (Chicago Bears) who all are high in the pecking order for their respective offenses. Clearly, no one will replace the upside that Chase brings, but there may be a high-floor option available to hold you over.
Keep an eye out for the significance and official timeline of the injury. It could mean a lot for what happens the rest of the season.
