NFL Player News

It was estimated, as usual on Mondays and Tuesdays. It’s likely that Smith’s DNP on Monday was just a rest day for a hamstring that kept him on the injury report for most of last week before he had a forgettable 2/14 outing against the Cowboys in a game Philadelphia barely had to pass in. It seems much more likely he’ll be involved against the Commanders on Thursday night.

Dowdle set career-highs in rushing in consecutive games after his 112 yards a week ago. He has also seen 20 or more running back opportunities in three straight games after doing so just once in his first nine contests, finally giving the Cowboys a hint of dependability on the ground. Dowdle gets another solid matchup on the ground against the Panthers in Week 15.

Rush and the Cowboys played the Bengals close throughout at home, eventually forcing a 17-17 tie in third quarter before taking a fourth quarter lead with a field goal. The Bengals would answer on the following possession to knot the game at 20 before both teams struggled to move the football for the remainder of the game. That is, until the Cowboys blocked a punt with under two minutes to play, only for a defender to touch the ball beyond the line of scrimmage and for the Bengals to recover, giving them a fresh set of downs they would eventually score on. Rush and the Cowboys took the football with just over a minute to play but a failed fourth down conversion sealed their fate. Dallas falls to 1-6 at home and 5-8 overall before a meeting with the surging Panthers at home in Week 15.

Higgins was locked down by a healthy Dallas secondary, running many empty routes while teammate Ja’Marr Chase erupted for a wild 14-177-2 receiving line. Higgins had been targeted fairly heavily the precious six games, wracking up 62 targets while seeing double-digit looks in four of his previous six games. He’ll find a difficult matchup in Week 15 when the Bengals travel to face a Titans defense allowing the fewest pass yards per game.

Gesicki played a muted role against the Cowboys as alpha wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase went absolutely ham to the tune of a 14-177-2 receiving line. Both Tanner Hudson and Drew Sample saw increased offensive snaps in this one, which is going to limit Gesicki’s upside for the remainder of the season.

Iosivas’ only failed reception almost resulted in a fumble and turnover in the fourth quarter, only for the play to be ruled incomplete following further review. Iosivas continues to play a limited complementary role for a Bengals team largely reliant on the exploits of Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Chase Brown.

Chase saw 18 targets on 44 Joe Burrow pass attempts, making his mark felt throughout. He would send his fantasy score into the stratosphere with under two minutes left to play as he took a simple out route 40 yards to the house to send the Bengals to a 5-8 record. The circumstances of the final possession were even more wild after the Cowboys blocked a punt with under two minutes to play, only for a Dallas player to touch the football beyond the line of scrimmage and for the Bengals to recover it, tilting the trajectory of the game in the process. Next up for Chase are a Titans team allowing the fewest pass yards per game in 2024.

Browns’s 22 running back opportunities vastly paced the backfield, with backup option Khalil Herbert managing just two carries and one target. Brown certainly has the look of a true league-winner down the stretch having seen 22 or more opportunities in four his previous five games without Zack Moss. Brown gets a more difficult matchup in Week 15 when the Bengals travel to Tennessee to face the Titans.

The Cowboys put up a significant fight in this one, taking a 20-20 tie into the two-minute warning. They would then force a punt, which was blocked, touched by the Cowboys, then recovered beyond the line of scrimmage by the Bengals, giving the ball right back to Burrow. A few plays later, Burrow hit a quick out to Ja’Marr Chase who would pivot and leave his defender in the dust on his way to a 40-yard touchdown. The Bengals continue to pass the football with little regard, with Burrow’s 44 pass attempts the third time in the previous four games that he has thrown 44 times or more. Up next for the 5-8 Bengals are the Titans on the road in Week 15.

Overshown was rolled up on and remained down on the field. He needed significant help to get off the field but did walk off. That’s where the good news ends as Overshown was almost immediately ruled out for the remainder of the game with a knee injury. It’s a tough blow for an up-and-coming second-year player that missed his entire rookie season with a torn ACL.

Dissly was forced from the team’s Sunday Night Football loss to the Chiefs in Week 14 with a shoulder injury. Per Schultz, initial testing revealed an injury significant enough to hold him out in the coming weeks. Journeyman Stone Smartt filled in for Dissly in the second half and stands to benefit the most from the former’s absence. He could be an option for fantasy managers in a bind at one of the most top-heavy positions in football.