Bengals’ Tee Higgins out vs. Texans; Ja’Marr Chase questionable
CINCINNATI — Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins will not play Sunday against the Houston Texans, coach Zac Taylor said Friday.
Higgins suffered a hamstring injury Wednesday and didn’t practice the rest of the week. He watched the wide receivers in individual drills during the open portion of Thursday’s practice and was not spotted during the viewing window open to the media Friday.
Taylor did not get into Higgins’ long-term availability as he deals with the ankle injury, especially with the Bengals scheduled to play the Baltimore Ravens next Thursday in a crucial AFC North contest.
“I don’t really care about next week right now,” Taylor said. “He’s not going to play this week.”
Defensive end Sam Hubbard will also be out for Sunday’s game after suffering an ankle injury against the Buffalo Bills in Week 9. Cam Sample, Joseph Ossai and rookie Cam Sample will be among those who will get added reps in Hubbard’s absence, Taylor said.
The odds of wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase playing against the Texans (4-4) were more favorable at the end of the week. After he missed Wednesday’s practice, he was limited Thursday and was spotted again during the open period of Friday’s practice.
Chase is officially listed as questionable on the team’s injury report, with Taylor saying “we’ll see.”
“I thought he was good,” Taylor said of Friday’s practice.
Cincinnati (5-3) is looking to win its fifth straight game after dropping three of its first four. Since Week 5, Cincinnati’s receivers have led the NFL in receiving yards per game (223.5), according to ESPN Stats & Information. Quarterback Joe Burrow also ranks third in Total QBR during that span.
Receiver Tyler Boyd, the longest-tenured player on the roster, credited Burrow and the coaching staff for the ability to interchange receivers successfully.
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