Cincinnati Bengals DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (ankle, knee), who is listed as questionable to play in Week 18 against the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday, is expected to play in the must-win game, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Higgins was also questionable for last week's game against the Denver Broncos but suited up and went off, catching 11 of his 12 targets for 131 yards and three touchdowns in the thrilling overtime victory. The 25-year-old certainly isn't 100 percent right now, but he should be out there in another must-win game for the Bengals on the road in a hostile environment. Nobody should be expecting Higgins to even come close to replicating his Week 17 numbers, but he'll be a clear WR1 for fantasy managers if he's active on Saturday, as expected. In the first meeting with Pittsburgh on Dec. 1, Higgins caught five of 10 targets for 69 yards and a touchdown.

According to Ben Baby of ESPN, Cincinnati Bengals rookie wide receiver Jermaine Burton will not travel to Pittsburgh with the team due to a coach's decision. The rookie has had struggles finding playing time during his rookie campaign and will now not even be with the team during their must-win game on Saturday evening. This is a telling sign and could suggest the he is beginning to fall out of favor with the coaching staff. He has not logged at least ten offensive snaps in each of his past five games. Throughout the season, Burton has only caught four of his 14 targets for 107 yards. Fantasy managers should expect Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins (ankle) and Andrei Iosivas to lead the passing attack once again in the regular season finale.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andrei Iosivas hasn't been the most consistent fantasy option during the 2024-25 campaign. However, he's still had the best season of his young career, catching 34 passes for 467 yards and six touchdowns. Granted, the 25-year-old hasn't been productive enough to be considered a week-to-week fantasy starter. But with Tee Higgins (knee, ankle) and Chase Brown (ankle) both questionable for Saturday's matchup with the Steelers, Iosivas may need to get more involved, giving him some upside for the remaining redraft participants. He'll also draw DFS attention for those looking for value in Week 18, although Brown and Higgins must be ruled out first.

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki hasn't been the most reliable fantasy option throughout the 2024-25 campaign. To be fair, he's had some productive outings, although they have been few and far between. However, the 29-year-old is coming off a potent performance, catching 10 of his 12 targets for 86 yards in the Week 17 overtime win over the Denver Broncos. With the Bengals looking to secure a spot in the postseason, Gesicki could remain more involved than normal, especially if Tee Higgins (ankle, knee) and Chase Brown (ankle) don't suit up. Yet, if either of those guys play, Gesicki's ceiling will come crashing down heading into the Week 18 meeting with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase has been a top fantasy option all year, leading all wideouts in catches (117), yards (1,612), and touchdowns (16). With Cincinnati still alive for the postseason, the former LSU Tiger will need to be at his best in Week 18 versus the Steelers. Chase played well enough when the Bengals met the Steelers on December 1, catching six passes for 86 yards and a touchdown. Granted, it wasn't his best performance. However, Chase may need to see more targets this time around, especially if Tee Higgins (knee, ankle), who is questionable, doesn't suit up. But even if Higgins is on the field, Chase is a must-start, obviously. He's also worth considering for all DFS contests, despite his hefty rostering cost.