Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is currently listed as questionable heading into today’s Week 10 matchup versus the Houston Texans. Fantasy football managers have a genuine sweat over his status. Chase comes into this week off the back of a disappointing Week 9 against the Buffalo Bills. However, he is expected to bounce back against the Texans if he can play.
So, will Chase play today versus the Texans? And, if he does, what will his fantasy outlook be?
Is Ja’Marr Chase Going To Play Week 10?
Chase is currently dealing with a back injury he sustained during a fall in the victory over the Bills on Sunday Night Football. He failed to practice on Wednesday as a result.
Chase returned to practice on Thursday and Friday, albeit in a limited capacity. However, the Bengals, who have ruled out Tee Higgins due to a hamstring injury, have been quiet on the status of Chase.
However, there was a status update from Jeremy Fowler of ESPN this morning. He posted on X, “Bengals are hopeful that Ja’Marr Chase (questionable, back) will play Sunday vs. Houston but won’t definitively know until he does a workout in the AM, per sources.”
Then, at 4:07 am ET, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network poured some cold water on the optimism. He posted on X, “Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase, questionable with a back injury, is considered 50-50 at best to play, per me and @MikeGarofolo. While there was no structural damage, he’s in pain and it’s unclear how functional he’ll be. They’ll keep the door open until game-time for him.”
Therefore, while it appears Chase will be a game-time decision, it isn’t clear how he will perform this week even if he does start due to the pain he is suffering. So, what does this mean for his fantasy outlook this week?
Editor’s note: Chase will play today after going through his pregame warmup routine.
What Is Chase’s Potential Fantasy Outlook for Today?
Chase comes into Week 10 as the WR7 in fantasy football. Fantasy managers who drafted Chase in the first or second round of their drafts this summer will hope the news this morning is encouraging enough to start him in their lineups.
According to our PFN Consensus Rankings, Chase is currently ranked as the WR3 for Week 10. Chase is up against cornerback Steven Nelson, who is having a great season for the Texans.
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The Texans are coming into this game off the back of giving up 37 points to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who passed the 30-point mark for the first time this season in the game. In fact, the Buccaneers have only managed to score 30+ points just three times in their past 23 games.
However, the Texans come into Week 10 ranked third in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers, conceding just 22.4 points per game to wide receivers. This is not as straightforward a matchup for Chase as it appears.
Fantasy managers should be cautious of the upside available to Chase. Only two WRs have scored 13 or more half-point fantasy points against the Texans so far this season: Zay Flowers in Week 1 and Christian Kirk in Week 3.
Add into the mix that Chase is in pain and dealing with an injury, his ranking and status in the game could be a trap for fantasy managers. While you might have no choice but to start Chase in lineups, as fantasy managers should always start their studs, they should be worried about the potential points return he is likely to deliver in Week 10.
If fantasy managers have a stacked bench of wide receiver talent, they should consider sitting Chase out this week. If, however, their bench is stretched, perhaps there might be no alternative to start him. It is advised you start Chase with caution today.