Andrei Iosivas (thumb) to go on IR

He played 32-of-60 snaps as the Bengals have spread the ball around, letting Colvie Young (1/7 on one target) and Dohnte Meyers (0/0 on one target) also get involved against the Texans. Iosivas looks like a poor FLEX risk in Week 3 against the Steelers.

Iosivas was on the field for two drives, taking 10 of the first 13 snaps and playing alongside QB Joe Burrow. Fourth-round rookie WR Colbie Young subbed in, taking one snap on the second drive and remained on the field after the starters left. He looked good hauling in a 20-yard gain on 3rd-and-16 from QB Joe Flacco. The battle for the Bengals’ WR3 role continues with Iosivas seemingly ahead of the rookie.

Young, the rookie, “has seemingly stacked at least one impressive catch per day.” Iosivas has had “a few notable drops,” but he reportedly “appears as polished and athletic as ever at getting open.” Both players could be worth late-round picks in best ball formats, but neither one is likely to return FLEX value in re-draft without WR1 Ja’Marr Chase or WR2 Tee Higgins missing time. Iosivas is entering a contract year, and the team just spent a fourth-round pick on Young. An in-season breakout from the rookie would make things easier from a salary cap perspective. Dehner also notes that former CFL WR Dohnte Meyers “has been a talk of camp” thus far.

Baby’s practice notes indicate that incumbent No. 3 WR Andrei Iosivas and No. 1 TE Mike Gesicki are the other two competitors for the role, and both players “had productive springs.” Pitcher also said RB Chase Brown “can sometimes be viewed as a slot receiver,” but those types of comments are common in the summer and rarely pan out in the fall. Iosivas and Gesicki have been helpful contributors, but the fact that the team is searching for an answer at the No. 3 receiving role is indicative of their ceilings. Pitcher believes Young is “going to fight and battle” this summer, and thinks there are things Young “can do quickly and help us.” If he can actually become the team’s third-most voluminous target earner, he could pay off as a late-round best ball pick.

This isn’t a front-page headline or anything, but OC Dan Pitcher did say that Iosivas “would probably tell you that there were points last year that he was happy with his play and points where he felt he needed to be better.” Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Iosivas could be pushed by Mitchell Tinsley or a draft pick for playing time.

Iosivas proved to be a capable depth option in 2024, but there wasn’t much room for his role to grow this year. He appeared in all 17 games and totaled 34 grabs for 435 yards. His 2025 stat line was nearly identical to 2024’s, except for a notable drop in touchdowns. He scored six times last year compared to two touchdowns this time around. For fantasy purposes, Iosivas only cracks the weekly FLEX ranks when one of Ja’Marr Chase or Tee Higgins is sidelined. He won’t be on the redraft radar for his fourth NFL season.

Oh, dear. This is unfortunate. Higgins practiced in a limited capacity on Wednesday. If he is unable to participate today, it likely means that he suffered a setback. The Bengals face the Dolphins this week. Both teams have been eliminated from playoff contention. With Higgins sidelined, the Bengals had WR Andrei Iosivas operate as the No. 2, while Mitchell Tinsley handled No. 3 duties.

Taylor told reporters that Higgins — who was checked multiple times after a couple major hits on Sunday — reported symptoms after the game. Given the quick turnaround from his last concussion, it would be surprising if Higgins managed to play this week. It looks like Andrei Iosivas and Mitchell Tinsley, as well as Mike Gesicki, will be solidly on the 12-team radar for Week 15.

With Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins back in the lineup, this was to be expected. His one incompletion was a ghastly drop. Higgins did have to go to the blue medical tent twice during the game for concussion checks. Keep an eye on the Bengals’ practice report, but with both Chase and Higgins healthy Iosivas isn’t much of a play in fantasy leagues.

Tee Higgins was out this week, freeing up some work for the Bengals’ depth receivers. Despite Mitchell Tinsley seeing nine targets to Iosivas’s two, Iosivas ultimately went for more yards and scored the only receiving touchdown for a Cincinnati wide receiver today. Higgins missed five games in 2024. Iosivas only caught eight passes in those games, but he found the end zone three times. Higgins missed this game with a concussion, meaning he could be back for Week 14. Iosivas won’t be on the fantasy radar if that happens. He will be a touchdown-or-bust WR6 if Higgins is out again.