Joe

Flacco

Flacco has made the Bengals offense a machine for statistical purposes even as the team loses week in and week out. The grizzled veteran now has 11 touchdown passes in four games as the Bengals’ starter. On Sunday against a weak Chicago secondary, Flacco threw two touchdowns to Tee Higgins, one to Andrei Iosivas, and one to Noah Fant. The Bengals’ wretched defense once again forced Flacco and company into a pass-heavy game script, leading to 53 drop backs. Flacco will be able to rest his injured throwing shoulder during the Bengals’ Week 10 bye week, and will return as a borderline fantasy starter in Week 11 against the Steelers.

Flacco had been listed as questionable to face the Bears after sustaining a shoulder injury last week against the Jets. He’ll play through the injury against a soft Chicago defense, but presents a very real in-game injury risk. The fantasy prospects of every Bengals player rely on Flacco being under center for the pass-heavy Cincinnati offense. Bengals declared CB Marco Wilson, LB Logan Wilson, OL Dalton Risner, WR Jermaine Burton, TE Cam Grandy, and DE Trey Hendrickson (hip) inactive against Chicago. With Hendrickson out, the Bengals defense presents an even better matchup for Caleb Williams and the Bears.

Flacco is still officially questionable with an AC joint sprain in his right shoulder. There was optimism that the 40-year-old signal caller will be healthy enough to play following Thursday’s practice and that optimism has continued this weekend. Rapoport cautions that Flacco is planning to start barring a setback and that no one knows how his shoulder will ultimately react. Jake Browning would likely start if Flacco is ruled out, but it seems everyone is doing their best to avoid that scenario.

Flacco has talked a good game the last few days, leading us to believe the Bengals’ quarterback is on the optimistic side of questionable. But the Bengals also signed Sean Clifford to their active roster, leaving us to believe there’s still some question on if Flacco will indeed be ready to go. If Flacco is declared out, starting duties would likely fall to Jake Browning again.

Flacco didn’t say if he expected to play in Sunday’s game, but that was clearly the vibe the veteran signal-caller was giving off on Friday when speaking with the media. Flacco and the Bengals plan to test his shoulder before ultimately deciding on his availability, but it sounds like he should be good to go in a plus matchup against the Bears barring any setbacks.

His return is a good sign for his Week 9 availability, and the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Kelsey Conway believes “the convo around Joe Flacco playing on Sunday seemed positive.” The Bengals obviously hope to have Flacco under center against the Bears, rather than No. 3 QB Jake Browning, but throwing-shoulder injuries are, of course, finicky. Hopefully, Flacco can practice in full without setback by the end of the week.

Flacco’s status is up in the air because of an AC joint sprain he suffered versus the Jets. He briefly went into the locker room late in the Bengals’ Week 8 loss but did manage to return without missing a snap. His absence would put Jake Browning back under center. Browning struggled mightily as the starter earlier this year, forcing the Bengals to trade for Flacco. His return to the lineup would be a massive downgrade for all Cincy pass-catchers. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor told reporters that Flacco’s odds of suiting up in Week 9 against the Bears currently sit at “50-50,” so fantasy managers must consider him truly questionable to play.

Flacco is dealing with an AC joint sprain, per Rapoport. He sustained the injury late in the Bengals’ Week 8 loss against the Jets and could miss this week’s game against the Bears. That would force Jake Browning back under center for the Bengals, a huge hit to the fantasy prospects of every Cincy pass catcher, including Ja’Marr Chase. Fantasy managers should keep a close eye on Flacco’s Thursday and Friday practice status.

Flacco left the field late in Sunday’s game with the injury, but returned in time to try to will the Bengals to a win against the once winless Jets. The day-to-day timeline suggests there isn’t much to worry about here, which should come as good news to any fantasy managers who have Ja’Marr Chase or Tee Higgins rostered. We would expect Flacco to play in Week 9 against the Bears barring any setback.

Flacco also punched in a one-yard rushing touchdown, his first since 2017. The veteran passer didn’t light the Jets up, but he kept the chains moving, scored three times, and didn’t turn the ball over once. With 38 points on the board, Flacco did his job, the defense simply couldn’t stop Justin Fields and company. Flacco briefly left the game and went to the locker room in the fourth quarter, seemingly dealing with a shoulder injury. He didn’t miss any snaps on offense and threw a few passes on the team’s final drive, a failed comeback bid. Assuming the injury doesn’t linger beyond this week, Flacco will remain a solid QB2 option when he takes on the Bears in Week 9.