Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase will likely miss time due to a separated shoulder, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL media.
Rapoport reports that Chase will be out for the Bengals’ Week 16 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers and that his absence will probably extend beyond that.
Chase suffered the injury during his team’s win over the Minnesota Vikings this past Saturday. He left the game in the fourth quarter. He logged four catches for 64 yards before exiting.
On the season overall, Chase has hauled in 93 receptions for 1,156 yards and seven touchdowns.
This is just the latest hit for a Cincinnati club that has managed to stay afloat in spite of getting slammed by injuries all season long.
Of course, the most significant injury came when quarterback Joe Burrow was lost for the remainder of the 2023 campaign due to a wrist injury. He also dealt with a calf issue earlier in the season that severely limited him over the first several weeks.
So, not only are the Bengals without their starting signa-caller, but they may also be sans their top wide out with their playoff hopes hanging in the balance.
Chase, who played his collegiate football at LSU, was selected by Cincinnati with the fifth overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft.
The 23-year-old immediately made his mark during his rookie campaign, catching 81 passes for 1,455 yards and 13 scores. He then followed that up by snaring 87 balls for 1,046 yards while reaching the end zone nine times in 12 games last year.
Ja’Marr Chase made the Pro Bowl in each of his first two seasons.
The Bengals improved to 8-6 with their victory over the Vikings and currently hold the second Wild Card spot in the AFC playoff picture. After taking on the Steelers this Saturday, Cincinnati will battle the Kansas City Chiefs and then the Cleveland Browns to conclude the regular season.
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