Just when the Cincinnati Bengals were getting on a roll, injuries have popped up again.
The strength of the Bengals is their passing game, with quarterback Joe Burrow throwing to elite receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, but it could look a lot different on Sunday. Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins weren't participating during the early part of practice on Thursday according to Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Both arrived later in practice according to Conway, Chase with a jersey on but Higgins without a jersey and apparently not preparing to participate on Thursday due to the injury.
Chase fell hard in last week's game and is dealing with a back injury. Higgins has a hamstring injury that showed up on the injury report Wednesday.
There's still plenty of time before Sunday's game against the Houston Texans, and both players could be well enough to play. Though it's uncertain if either will be close to 100%, if they play at all.
Higgins had a slow start to the season, in part because of a rib injury. He has been coming on late, like the Bengals as a whole, but the hamstring could set him back. Chase didn't sound overly confident in being able to play against the Texans, though that was at the beginning of the week.
The Texans have their own injury issues, with 23 players appearing on the injury report.
The Bengals have rallied after a slow start, which was due in part to Burrow's calf injury, to get to 5-3. Winning on Sunday won't be so easy if their receivers can't go.