The second game of Week 17’s Saturday tripleheader almost amounts to a playoff game. The Denver Broncos can secure a playoff berth with a win while the Cincinnati Bengals must win to keep their playoff hopes alive entering the final week of the season.
Here’s the latest injury news for this key AFC showdown.
Denver Broncos vs. Cincinnati Bengals Inactives
Denver Broncos Inactives
- LB Levelle Bailey
- OT Frank Crum
- DT Matt Henningsen
- WR David Sills
- DT Eyioma Uwazurike
- RB Blake Watson
- QB Zach Wilson
Cincinnati Bengals Inactives
- DE Sam Hubbard
- TE Tanner Hudson
- WR Charlie Jones
- DT Sheldon Rankins
- OT Andrew Stueber
Latest Injury Report News and Updates
The Broncos are getting their rookie cornerback Riley Moss back this week from a knee injury. Moss missed three games with the injury but is back in time as the Broncos look to secure their first playoff berth since winning Super Bowl 50.
Other than Moss, the Broncos have a pretty clean injury report amongst their active roster. Only running back Tyler Badie has a game designation. He is questionable with a back injury but was a full participant in practice all week.
Wide receiver Troy Franklin (ankle) and running back Jaleel McLaughlin (quad) are also on the injury report but both practiced in full Wednesday and Thursday.
The big injury question for the Bengals this week surrounds wide receiver Tee Higgins. Higgins is questionable with ankle and knee injuries and was limited in practice all week. It was a similar story last week for Higgins, but he didn’t have a game designation entering last week’s game against the Browns. This one is worth monitoring.
Another Bengals starter that’s up in the air is right tackle Amarius Mims. The rookie is listed as questionable with ankle and hand injuries. The good news is, after limited practices Tuesday and Wednesday, Mims was upgraded to full practice Thursday. It looks like Mims will play through his broken hand.
DE Sam Hubbard (knee) and DT Sheldon Rankins (illness) are out.
TE Tanner Hudson (knee) is doubtful and WR Charlie Jones (groin), DE Joseph Ossai (illness) and safety Geno Stone (illness) are all listed as questionable.
Denver Broncos Projected Starting Lineup
Here is the projected starting lineup for the Broncos based on their current depth chart.
- Quarterback: Bo Nix
- Running back: Javonte Williams
- Wide receiver: Courtland Sutton, Devaughn Vele, Troy Franklin
- Tight end: Adam Trautman
- Left tackle: Garett Bolles
- Left guard: Ben Powers
- Center: Luke Wattenberg
- Right guard: Quinn Meinerz
- Right tackle: Mike McGlinchey
- Defensive ends: Zach Allen, John Franklin-Myers
- Nose tackle: D.J. Jones
- Inside linebackers: Cody Barton, Justin Strnad
- Outside linebackers: Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper
- Cornerbacks: Riley Moss, Pat Surtain II
- Safeties: Brandon Jones, P.J. Locke
- Kicker: Wil Lutz
- Punter: Riley Dixon
- Long snapper: Mitchell Fraboni
- Kick returner: Marvin Mims Jr.
- Punt returner: Marvin Mims Jr.
Cincinnati Bengals Projected Starting Lineup
Here is the projected starting lineup for the Bengals based on their current depth chart.
- Quarterback: Joe Burrow
- Running back: Chase Brown
- Wide receiver: Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas
- Tight end: Mike Gesicki
- Left tackle: Orlando Brown
- Left guard: Cody Ford
- Center: Ted Karras
- Right guard: Alex Cappa
- Right tackle: Amarius Mims
- Defensive ends: Myles Murphy, Trey Hendrickson
- Defensive tackles: B.J. Hill, Kris Jenkins
- Weakside linebacker: Germaine Pratt
- Middle linebacker: Akeem Davis-Gaither
- Cornerbacks: Josh Newton, Cam Taylor-Britt
- Safeties: Vonn Bell, Geno Stone
- Kicker: Cade York
- Punter: Ryan Rehkow
- Long snapper: Cal Adomitis
- Kick returner: Jermaine Burton
- Punt returner: Isaiah Williams