Cincinnati Bengals DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (hamstring) injured his hamstring in practice last Thursday and didn't suit up in the season-opening upset loss to the visiting New England Patriots on Sunday. We'll have a better idea of Higgins' status for the upcoming Week 2 showdown against the Kansas City Chiefs, but ESPN's Adam Schefter said on the Pat McAfee Show on Monday that he would be surprised if Higgins plays against the Chiefs. The Bengals offense looked dead in the water on Sunday against the Pats and with lead wideout Ja'Marr Chase being eased back in after holding in all summer during training camp during a contract dispute with the team. Chase led the team with six catches for 62 yards, with Andrei Iosivas serving as the WR2 with only three catches for 26 yards. If Higgins misses another game, expect Iosivas and tight end Mike Gesicki, who nearly had a TD in Week 1, to benefit the most.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas had three catches for 26 yards in Sunday's loss to New England. With Tee Higgins (hamstring) out, and Ja'Marr Chase (illness, hold-in) cleared to suit up at the last minute, Iosivas couldn't take advantage. In all fairness, it wasn't a good day for the entire team, so the wideout can't take all the blame for the underwhelming performance. At any rate, Higgins and Chase aren't a lock to be available in Week 2 versus the Kansas City Chiefs. If they don't play, Iosivas remains in the flex conversation, even if his fantasy ceiling isn't as high as it was entering the opener.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (illness, hold-in) was cleared to suit up shortly before the meeting with the Patriots. Unfortunately, it didn't matter, with Cincinnati dropping Week 1 to New England. Tee Higgins (hamstring) wasn't available. However, while there was a chance of a limited workload for Chase, fantasy managers were still happy to see the green light. Overall, it wasn't a bad game for the wideout, amassing a game-high six grabs for 62 yards. Still, fantasy managers were expecting more from the former LSU Tiger. At any rate, Chase's availability for Week 2 isn't guaranteed if he doesn't get the new contract he desires. Yet, if he's on the field against the Chiefs, he's still a must-start, considering he'll get it together at some point.

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown struggled in Sunday's loss to the New England Patriots. He was a popular option in fantasy drafts heading into the 2023-24 campaign, often getting selected over Zack Moss. However, Chase didn't get anything going in Week 1, finishing with only 11 yards off three carries, adding three catches for 12 yards. With that said, Moss, who ended the day by amassing 44 yards and a touchdown off nine touches, appears to be the preferred option out of the backfield for Cincinnati. As a result, Brown isn't the safest fantasy option in Week 2 against the Chiefs, although there's still a chance he could get more involved than he was in the opener.

Cincinnati Bengals running back Zack Moss led his team in rushing on Sunday. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough, with the Bengals dropping Week 1 to the Patriots. Tee Higgins (hamstring) didn't suit up, and Ja'Marr Chase (illness, hold-in) wasn't cleared until shortly before kickoff. As a result, Joe Burrow struggled. Despite the Bengals needing to play catch-up for most of the contest, Moss still had a decent fantasy showing, running for 44 yards off nine carries. He also found the end zone and brought in two passes for 17 yards. For the Bengals to get anything out of the backfield moving ahead, the team must get it together on the receiving end. For now, Moss remains a must-start in most fantasy setups in the Week 2 battle with the Chiefs. However, things may change if Higgins isn't cleared to play and Chase remains a limited participant at practice during the week.