It’s been a forgettable year for the Cincinnati Bengals, punctuated by Sunday’s shutout loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
There was some brief optimism in the air once quarterback Joe Burrow was able to return to the lineup three weeks ago, but even with him under center, the Bengals couldn’t make a postseason push.
What Key Players Are Injured for the Bengals?
Rather, the Bengals are sitting with a 4-10 record after having lost six of their last seven games.
They’ll be able to salvage at least a little bit of hope going into the 2026 campaign, starting with a road trip to Miami for a date with the Dolphins on Sunday.
Their injury report, which has multiple noteworthy names, is one worth monitoring.
1) Tee Higgins
The health of one of Burrow’s top targets is something to keep an eye on. Wide receiver Tee Higgins missed last week’s game with a concussion, but he’s evidently advanced enough through the league’s protocol to the point that he could join the team on the field in Miami.
After working in a limited capacity on Wednesday to start the week, according to the Bengals’ injury report, Higgins practiced with his helmet on Thursday. That’s an encouraging sign, especially if he’s able to follow that up with another positive session on Friday.
Higgins, who turns 27 years old in January, has played just 12 games in each of the past three seasons, including 2025. He hasn’t surpassed 1,000 yards receiving in a season since 2022, the year after the Bengals represented the AFC in the Super Bowl.
2) Noah Fant
Veteran tight end Noah Fant didn’t practice on Wednesday with an ankle injury, potentially setting him up to miss Sunday’s contest. He’s been a helpful depth piece at the position behind Mike Gesicki in what was initially anticipated to be a high-powered Bengals offense.
Fant played just 18 offensive snaps in last weekend’s loss to the Ravens, and he didn’t record a single target in the passing game.
3) Shemar Stewart
It may not be all doom and gloom for the Bengals. Defensive end Shemar Stewart logged a full practice session to start the week on Wednesday, putting him on track to return from a knee injury on Sunday.
After a well-documented rookie contract dispute that dominated the headlines over the summer, the No. 17 overall pick played in just five games before being placed on injured reserve with the aforementioned knee issue. There was some optimism that he would’ve been able to return last week against the Ravens, but he was downgraded to a ‘doubtful’ designation at the last minute.
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The Bengals’ pass rush desperately needs some juice sans Trey Hendrickson, who hasn’t played since Oct. 26 and was officially placed on injured reserve last week. He’s set to undergo core-muscle surgery that will keep him shelved until the offseason.
4) Multiple Players Hindered by Ankle Injuries
Defensive tackles B.J. Hill and Kris Jenkins didn’t practice on Wednesday with ankle injuries. Wide receiver Charlie Jones and defensive end Joseph Ossai both have ankle injuries as well. None of those four players has yet to practice this week, casting some doubt over their availability for Sunday.
