Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (wrist) has been plagued by numerous injuries over the years. He suffered a season-ending knee injury as a rookie and was burdened by a calf strain early in the 2023-24 campaign. As a result, he struggled by throwing just two touchdowns in the first four games of the season. Unfortunately, despite turning things around, the signal-caller sustained a wrist injury in November and had another season end abruptly. But Burrow is adamant he's doing everything he can to stay on the field this season. "I'm confident I've put all the work in I need to make sure I'm healthy," said Burrow while speaking to Geoff Hobson of the team's official site. "I'm continuing year-to-year to better hone that and make that more efficient." The former LSU Tiger is anticipated to be cleared well before Week 1 but will continue to rehab in the immediate future. With that said, Burrow has the potential to be the top quarterback in the National Football League. Yet, his inability to stay healthy is something that will remain a significant concern for fantasy managers.

According to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, Cincinnati hopes to keep wide receiver Tee Higgins on the roster. The wideout was franchise-tagged a few months ago but requested a trade. Although it was reported that the team would entertain phone calls, Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn, speaking at league meetings, indicated that Higgins' contract is a "focus." The 25-year-old is coming off a down season, finishing the 2023-24 campaign with 656 yards and five touchdowns off 42 catches. But most concerning, he dealt with various ailments, limiting him to just 12 games. At any rate, Higgins has a chance to bounce back if he remains in Cincinnati, which appears the most likely scenario, considering there reportedly hasn't been much interest from other clubs. However, for the 2020 No. 33 overall pick to turn things around, Joe Burrow (wrist) must stay healthy. Higgins will need to figure out how to do the same.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, speaking on Saturday's edition of SportsCenter, the Bengals are reportedly "willing to listen" to offers for wide receiver Tee Higgins. Cincinnati tagged Higgins almost immediately after the end of the 2023-24 campaign, which wasn't surprising to anyone. But the latest update on Higgins doesn't mean the team is actively shopping him, nor does it imply other clubs have called about him. The wideout struggled last season, amassing 656 yards and five touchdowns off 42 catches. He was also limited to only 12 games due to various ailments. With that said, no matter where Higgins ends up, he must stay healthy to get back to the 1,000-yard receiving mark. Yet, if he remains with the Bengals, which is still possible despite the a recent trade request, he'll need Joe Burrow (wrist) to stay on the field, something that's been an issue for the signal-caller since entering the league.

Free-agent tight end Tanner Hudson is re-signing with the Cincinnati Bengals on Friday on an undisclosed one-year deal, according to a source. In his first year in Cincinnati last season, Hudson caught a career-high 39 passes for 352 yards and one touchdown on 50 targets in 12 games played (one start). His previous career-high in receptions came the previous season with the New York Giants, when he had just 10 catches. The 29-year-old ended up being the team's top pass-catching tight end a season ago due to the struggles of Irv Smith Jr., who has since moved on to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bengals signed Mike Gesicki in free agency and also brought back Drew Sample, so it will be an uphill battle for Hudson to lead the Bengals in receiving for a second year in a row at the position in 2024.

Veteran free-agent tight end Mike Gesicki is joining the Cincinnati Bengals on a one-year deal worth up to $3.25 million. The 2018 second-round pick has compiled 260 receptions on 415 targets for 2,861 yards and 20 touchdowns across five seasons with the Miami Dolphins and one season with the New England Patriots. The Bengals have not had an overly productive tight end in the Joe Burrow era, but if receiver Tee Higgins is granted the trade he requested on Monday, Gesicki could become a top-three option in a potent passing game. The Bengals also added tight end Drew Sample in free agency on Monday. At the very least, Gesicki should be in a strong offense with touchdown opportunities in the red zone as a touchdown-dependent TE2 in fantasy.