Bengals' receiver depth tested as Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins deal with injuries

CINCINNATI (AP) — Cincinnati Bengals wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins did not participate in practice on Wednesday, and coach Zac Taylor has labeled them each as “day to day” leading up to Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins.

Chase is in the concussion protocol, and Higgins has an adductor injury.

With No. 3 receiver Andrei Iosivas on injured reserve with a thumb injury and with No. 4 receiver Colbie Young battling a knee injury, the Bengals’ receiver depth is being significantly tested. Dohnte Meyers and Mitchell Tinsley are the Bengals’ top two healthy receivers at the moment.

“I don’t have any concerns how we will put the plan together,” Taylor said. “We will make it work and emphasize the guys we think will be available.”

Before this season, Meyers spent two years in the Canadian Football League. He had a terrific training camp this summer with the Bengals to make the team, and he opened the season as a depth receiver and primarily as a punt and kick returner. He made the most of the rare chances that he got, which set him up for when he had to step into a much more expanded role following the injuries to Chase and Higgins.

“We all are familiar with the offense,” Meyers said. “Whatever play is called, we’re expected to execute. That was the mindset we had on that last drive. It’s unfortunate when you see one of your brothers go down, but it’s next man up. To have his back and fight for him, the best thing you can do is make plays for them.”

Meyers made two significant catches down the stretch on big plays in the fourth quarter last week in the Bengals’ loss to the Jaguars. His speed and understanding of the offense are both assets.

“There has been little to no error in terms of assignment alignment,” offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said. “It feels like every time the ball has gone his way, I think with the exception of maybe one play in Pittsburgh, since he’s really shown up in January, whenever the heck it was, he has made plays. So it’s hard to keep a guy like that off the field. And now we need him.”

Tinsley spent the 2025 season as the Bengals’ No. 4 receiver behind Chase, Higgins and Iosivas. But then in training camp, Meyers beat out Tinsley for the final spot in the wide receiver room. Tinsley signed with the Houston Texans’ practice squad. Then when Iosivas and Young were injured in late September, there was an open spot on the Bengals’ 53-man roster and Tinsley re-signed with the team. Along with Meyers, he closed out last week’s game as a starting receiver.

“Mitch is here because he’s dependable for us, he’s a really hard worker, takes advantage of his opportunities,” Taylor said. “That’s what we all saw from Mitch. We had really difficult decisions to make with our receiver group at the end of training camp. And unfortunately, we just couldn’t keep enough receivers. But he is a guy we trusted to be on the team.”

Young was limited on Wednesday with the knee injury that has kept him out, and his status for Sunday’s game is uncertain.

If Young is out, the Bengals would need to further tap into their tight end depth and count on Mike Gesicki and Tanner Hudson to make plays in the passing game.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here