The Cincinnati Bengals’ playoff hopes remain in jeopardy as their franchise quarterback continues his long road back from a devastating injury. Joe Burrow has now missed eight weeks with a severe turf toe injury that required surgery. With the Bengals’ playoff chances dwindling, will fantasy football managers see Burrow back on the field this season?
Joe Burrow Injury Update
Burrow went down during Cincinnati’s Week 2 win over Jacksonville after being tackled awkwardly while trying to escape pressure. Doctors diagnosed him with a Grade 3 turf toe injury, and medical professionals projected a minimum three-month recovery period.
Dr. Norman Waldrop performed the surgical procedure at Birmingham’s Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center. The severity of what Burrow is dealing with cannot be overstated. A Grade 3 turf toe diagnosis means complete tears of all soft tissues in the big toe, encompassing both ligaments and the joint capsule.
The Bengals opened Burrow’s 21-day practice window this week. Ian Rapoport reported that Burrow’s practice window was officially opened, allowing him to participate in limited on-field activities without counting against the 53-man roster.
Burrow returned to practice on a limited basis Monday as part of his recovery from the toe injury. This marks a meaningful step forward and indicates he’s making progress toward a potential return. The team now has 21 days to decide whether to activate him to the active roster or place him on season-ending injured reserve.
It’s a curious decision to open the practice window considering Cincinnati’s playoff chances are close to zero. At 3-6 heading into Week 11, the Bengals can basically afford one more loss to have a realistic shot at the postseason. Their playoff probability has dipped into single digits.
Burrow indicated he intends to return in Week 13, which is incredibly aggressive considering the initial projection placed his earliest potential comeback sometime in mid-December.
Burrow certainly wants to play regardless of the Bengals’ record. However, if Cincinnati is 4-7 or 3-8 heading into Week 13, it feels imprudent to have Burrow play.
Nevertheless, the Bengals will not be mathematically eliminated from playoff contention even if they lose their next two games. It sure sounds as if Burrow is going to return.
One thing we know for sure, though, is that Burrow will either be activated by Week 14 or he reverts to season-ending injured reserve. Once the 21-day practice window expires, the team must make a decision.
Burrow Fantasy Outlook
Fantasy managers are cautioned against getting overly excited about this unexpectedly positive news. Even in the best-case scenario with a Week 13 comeback, the Bengals would be one loss away from mathematical playoff elimination. It is very plausible that the moment they are done, Burrow is done.
RELATED: Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer
In Burrow’s absence, the Bengals have utilized veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, whom they acquired in a trade from the Cleveland Browns. Flacco led the team to a victory in Week 7 against divisional rival Pittsburgh, but has not won another game.
The opening of Burrow’s practice window provides a glimmer of hope, but the overwhelming likelihood is that fantasy managers won’t see meaningful production from Burrow in 2025. The combination of Cincinnati’s dismal playoff odds and the aggressive nature of the return timeline makes him a highly risky proposition for fantasy purposes.