The Cincinnati Bengals are looking to snap their losing streak at two games and get back into the win column, which would be much easier if Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins play.
The team’s latest roster moves suggest that will be the case.
“#Bengals elevate safety Russ Yeast,” The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. reported in a post on X on October 10, adding “The fact they did not call up a WR from the PS certainly opens the door for Ja’Marr Chase AND Tee Higgins to play tomorrow.”
ESPN’s Ben Baby added a third wide receiver, Colbie Young, to the list of possible actives on game day despite an injury designation.
Safety Russ Yeast is the only player the Bengals elevated.
S Russ Yeast is the only elevation for Sunday’s game vs. MIA.
Both Chase (concussion) and Higgins (groin/neck) began the week of practice as non-participants. They progressed at different speeds, but the Bengals star wideout duo ended the week as full participants.
Young participated in at least a limited capacity all week, sandwiching a full day in between partial participation.
Bengals Roster Moves Telling About Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins & More
The addition of Yeast is about more than the respective statuses of Chase and Higgins. It comes as “no surprise,” per ESPN’s Mike Petraglia, given the injury to Kyle Dugger.
“Yeast is classified as a standard elevation,” the Bengals noted in the official announcement. “As a practice squad player being elevated to the active roster for the game, he automatically will revert to the practice squad on Monday.”
This is the second elevation for Yeast.
The Bengals can elevate Yeast one more time, per NFL rules. After that, they must sign him to the 53-man roster or find another option on game day. Perhaps Dugger will be healthy next week.
Dugger was the only player out of the 12 players on the injury report who was ruled out beforehand. Pregame warmups will inform the game-day inactives list, which still looms large regarding Chase, Higgins, and several others.
Bengals Send Strong Signal on Ja’Marr Chase & Tee Higgins With Roster Move