Ja'Marr Chase Loses Joe Burrow ... and Still Goes Off

2025 Fantasy Football Impact

Joe Burrow left this one in the 2nd quarter with a toe injury. Before leaving, he hit Chase for a score on a quick-slant right at the goal line.

However, it sounds like Burrow will miss significant time, which certainly isn’t ideal for Chase’s fantasy value.

Some good news: Backup QB Jake Browning clearly leaned on Chase against the Jags. Browning fed Chase a 34.3% target share – easily a team-high. And their connection looked strong.

The same can't be said for Tee Higgins, who caught only 1 of 5 targets from Browning. Fortunately, one of them went for a 42-yard TD. Higgins hauled in a well-thrown deep ball, then bounced off a would-be tackler before walking into the end zone.

The Bengals' upcoming schedule doesn't seem favorable on paper (Vikings, Broncos, Lions, Packers, Steelers). That adds extra risk to Higgins as a fantasy WR2/3, especially if he plays the clear No. 2 role behind Chase.

As for Chase: We have to knock him down the WR1 ranks moving forward. Still, he'll remain a weekly must-start as the centerpiece of this passing game.