Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (ankle) opened the week as a limited participant during Thursday's practice. Fantasy managers should not be overly concerned with the superstar's status but should continue to monitor his status ahead of Monday's tilt against the Dallas Cowboys. Last weekend, Chase continued his stellar campaign by bringing in six of his nine targets for 86 yards and a score during their loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Overall, the LSU product has averaged a stellar 95.2 yards per game with 13 TDs across 12 games. Fantasy managers should continue to view Chase as a high-end WR1 in all matchups and a top option in DFS. On Monday, he has a great matchup against the Cowboys, who have allowed the 12th-most PPR points to opposing wideouts this season.

The Cincinnati Bengals placed kicker Evan McPherson (groin) on Injured Reserve on Wednesday. It was announced earlier on Wednesday that McPherson would miss some time due to his injury, and now he won't be eligible to return until the Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers. With fantasy championship matchups in most leagues coming in Week 17, managers with McPherson on their rosters in redraft leagues can let him go. The Browns worked out and signed former Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns kicker Cade York on Wednesday, and he will be their kicker in Week 14 on Monday night against the Dallas Cowboys. Like the Bengals in 2024, the 25-year-old McPherson was a fantasy disappointment in 12 game, going 16-for-22 on field-goal tries while missing just one of his 38 extra points.

The Cincinnati Bengals settled on former Cleveland Browns and Washington Commanders kicker Cade York after working out several kickers on Wednesday, according to sources. The Bengals are signing York with kicker Evan McPherson (groin) expected to miss a few weeks due to injury. York appeared in one game for Washington back on Sept. 8 in the Week 1 regular-season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and made one of his two field-goal tries and both of his extra points. The 23-year-old was drafted in the fourth round in 2022 out of LSU by the Cleveland Browns, but he made only 75% of his 32 field-goal attempts in his rookie season and the Browns moved on. The Bengals should be able to put up points on Monday night in Week 14 against the Dallas Cowboys, but York will be a pretty shaky streaming option in deeper fantasy leagues.

Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson (groin) is expected to miss several weeks due to a groin injury, according to sources. McPherson's injury isn't season-ending and won't require surgery, but he's going to miss some time for the Bengals. Obviously, fantasy managers still in the running for a championship will have to move on from McPherson heading into a Week 14 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football. Cincy is bringing in former Browns and Commanders kicker Cade York to fill in for McPherson while he rehabs his groin injury. In 12 games in 2024, McPherson has been the No. 17 kicker in terms of overall fantasy points with 16 makes on 22 field-goal tries. He has missed just one of his 38 extra-point attempts. The Bengals' offense could put up plenty of points on Monday in Dallas, making York a streaming consideration in deeper fantasy leagues.

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki didn't find the end zone in the 44-38 loss to the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 13, but he was efficient with the opportunities he was given, catching all five of his targets on the day for 53 receiving yards, which was third on the team behind receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Fellow TE Tanner Hudson was also efficient, catching all four of his targets for 28 yards on Sunday. The 29-year-old Gesicki entered the TE1 ranks in fantasy earlier this year, but that was mainly because Higgins had missed time due to injuries. Sunday was a reminder that Gesicki can still get involved with Higgins on the field, but his upside is surely limited when Cincy has their top two wideouts available. Since his two-TD performance on Nov. 3 against the Raiders, Gesicki has nine receptions for 83 yards and no scores the last three contests.