Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki (calf) was limited during Friday's practice session and is questionable for Monday's game versus Washington. The 28-year-old had a touchdown called back in the Week 1 loss to the New England Patriots. However, he made amends by catching seven of his nine targets for 91 yards in the narrow loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. With many tight ends around the National Football League struggling, Gesicki has gained streaming appeal in 12-team formats. Yet, his status for Week 3 may not be revealed until Monday night, well after nearly every contest on the slate has been played. As a result, fantasy managers may want to consider an alternative for Week 3. If anything, Drew Sample and Erick All Jr. are likely available on the waiver wire. Still, both men aren't expected to do much versus the Washington Commanders, especially if Tee Higgins (hamstring) is back in the lineup after missing the Bengals' previous two contests.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (hamstring) plans to play against the Washington Commanders on Monday night. The wideout has battled a hamstring injury, keeping him off the field for the Bengals' previous two contests. Fortunately, he's feeling better. "I feel great," said Higgins after practicing in a limited capacity on Friday. "Obviously, unfortunate with the injury, sat out the first two weeks but finally ready to get my feet wet this season and ready to go." Under normal circumstances, Higgins is a starting fantasy receiver in any format. However, there's a chance he could see fewer snaps than usual. As a result, Andrei Iosivas, coming off a two-touchdown outing versus the Kansas City Chiefs, could remain involved. Still, Iosivas' fantasy outlook would have been more promising had Higgins been in line to miss Monday's contest. On the other hand, Higgins' anticipated return is good news for Joe Burrow all around.

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tanner Hudson (knee) officially did not practice Friday. After opening the week as a back-to-back non-participant, Hudson will have one more chance to get in a limited session on Saturday to help his case for suiting up Monday night when the team hosts the visiting Washington Commanders. He was one of four Bengals TEs to record a snap in Week 1 but has yet to suit up since. In the meantime, teammate Mike Gesicki showed out this past Sunday in Cincinnati's 26-25 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, hauling in 7-of-9 targets for 91 yards -- despite playing the fewest snaps of the active tight ends. Gesicki may have separated himself from Hudson, Drew Sample, and rookie Erick All Jr., but that is not guaranteed. Regardless, Hudson can be off fantasy manager's radars as the team's third TE.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (hamstring) is practicing for the second straight day this week on Friday. Higgins injured his hamstring on Sept. 5 during preparation for the Week 1 season-opener and has been unavailable for the first two games of the season as a result. However, he returned to a limited practice on Thursday and appears to be moving closer to making his 2024 debut. Still, it's unclear if the 25-year-old's season debut will come on Monday night against the visiting Washington Commanders, and Cincy won't release their final injury report of the week until Saturday. When fully healthy, Higgins is Cincy's WR2 behind Ja'Marr Chase and is a big part of the passing attack. Because he's yet to play in 2024 and because the Bengals could ease him back into the fold if he's active on Monday night, Higgins is a pretty risky flex plan for fantasy managers in Week 3.

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki (calf) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status before his matchup against the Commanders on Monday evening. However, seeing him at practice is a promising sign that the injury is not severe. Last week, the Penn State product caught seven of his nine targets for 91 yards. In the season opener, Gesicki caught three of his four targets. The 28-year-old has emerged as a prominent pass-catcher in this offense while Tee Higgins (hamstring) remains sidelined. Even if Higgins makes his 2024 season debut on Monday, Gesicki should still be viewed as a high-end TE2, given his current role in the Cincinnati offense.