Ja’Marr Chase Injury Update: Is Bengals WR in Danger of Missing Week 1?

Throughout the first five years of his illustrious career, WR Ja’Marr Chase has been a model of consistency and availability for the Cincinnati Bengals. 

The five-time Pro Bowler hasn’t missed a ton of time, but the team got a scare on Tuesday when he suffered an apparent injury.

With Chase officially losing practice reps due to the ailment he sustained early in the week, what’s the scoop? Below, we dive into the latest Ja’Marr Chase injury update and outline its potential impact on Bengals fantasy football picks and player projections for PrizePicks. 

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Ja’Marr Chase Injury Update: When Will Bengals WR Return From Knee Injury?

If you’re a Bengals fan, take a deep breath and let out an instant sigh of relief. The superstar wideout said he merely “missed” his footing during the practice play shown above, causing him to hurt his knee. In a post-practice media scrum, he said he’d be playing if Cincinnati had a real game on Wednesday. 

It’s being described as a hyperextended left knee for Chase, who wanted to keep practicing but was held out by the Bengals following his injury. With Cincy taking on the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday at 8 p.m. ET in the preseason finale, head coach Zac Taylor won’t play his starters. That means Chase, who may be the best player on the roster, wouldn’t suit up anyway. 

The former No. 5 overall NFL Draft pick is already a two-time All-Pro on the First Team and is coming off back-to-back campaigns in which he led the sport in targets. This past year, even without QB Joe Burrow for a huge chunk of time, Chase hauled in 125 passes for 1,412 yards and 8 TDs in 16 regular-season contests.

Chase is unquestionably one of the top three receivers in the NFL right now, and his importance to the offense can’t really be overstated. It’s a monumental win for both player and team that his injury isn’t severe. 

Could Tee Higgins & Andrei Iosivas Benefit in Fantasy Football if Chase Misses Time?

In the event that the Cincinnati medical staff uncovers more damage than initially reported or Chase suffers a setback, it’d be a massive blow to the team’s passing attack. Still, there are a couple of formidable options to consider if Chase somehow does miss Week 1 of the regular season.

The natural first player to look to is WR Tee Higgins. While not very durable, he's been remarkably effective when on the field. In his last three seasons, his average production extrapolates to 76 receptions for 1,052 yards and 11 TDs over the course of a full 17-game slate.

Higgins also receives a hefty share of the work for the Bengals. According to SumerSports, his 18.56% target share was the only other non-Chase mark to reach double digits for the 2025 Cincy WR room. There may not be a ton of value with Higgins in fantasy land, however, as he’s going off the board as player No. 34 and WR15 in FantasyPros’ real-time ADP rankings for PPR (point per reception) draft formats.

Fourth-year WR Andrei Iosivas could also see an uptick in usage if Chase sits out any game action. The former sixth-round pick is coming off a 2025 season that saw him haul in 33 passes for 435 yards and 2 TDs, and he’s averaged at least 13.2 yards per reception in consecutive years. 

Chase is the straw that stirs the drink, but there’s work to go around here. 

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The Bengals appear to have avoided anything too serious after WR Ja’Marr Chase got banged up, which keeps their offense in prime position to be one of football’s best this coming season. If Chase is at full health, does that make Cincy a Super Bowl contender?

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