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Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase has yet to practice with his team since the start of training camp. Tuesday presented a new step, though, as the WR didn't even attend practice, according to ESPN's Ben Baby. Baby says that Chase "had remained visible and involved during drills" before Tuesday.
HC Zac Taylor in a post-practice statement: "Ja'Marr [is] day-to-day. We'll take it one day at a time."
Baby: "Since training camp started, Taylor has maintained that Chase's participation has gone according to plan despite the appearance of a hold-in."
More from Baby: "In July, team president Mike Brown indicated a deal with Chase before the start of the season was unlikely. Now, the question will be if Chase is willing to skip games in order to boost his odds of getting his extension done."
We all tend to assume that a player will end his holdout/hold-in before the regular season, but that's not always the case.
Look back to last year when Chiefs DT Chris Jones extended his absence right to the start of the season, sat out Week 1 and then played limited snaps the following two weeks.
He returned after getting a contract adjustment, and then got an extension this offseason.
Rams DT Aaron Donald similarly sat out the 2017 opener after holding out through camp and the preseason. He did not get a new contract upon reporting.
There have been plenty of other examples of players who did end their protests ahead of the regular season, even. without getting new deals.
We'll see what Chase decides to do. But Tuesday doesn't seem like a positive development.
Trenton Irwin joined Tee Higgins and Andrei Iosivas in the starting lineup for the preseason opener, with Chase not playing.
Irwin would be the biggest winner if Chase extends this holdout into the regular season. Higgins and Iosivas would clearly stand to gain target share as well.
They both look like upside picks at current ADP.
And QB Joe Burrow certainly would not benefit from missing his most talented wideout.
We're not moving Chase in our rankings just yet. But we'll certainly keep monitoring this situation.
I'd still have a hard time throwing him back in a keeper league, but you can check our Keeper Calculator to weigh Chase vs. your other options if you have such a decision.
The closer we get to Week 1, the more wary Round 1 drafters will get about taking Chase. How to assess his risk vs. reward will be a personal call for drafters.
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