Bengals hopeful for Ja’Marr Chase playing next week, per report

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase will not play this Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but don’t rule out next week.

According to ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler, the Bengals are hopeful that Chase can make his return in Week 12 against the Tennessee Titans.

It’s been three weeks since Ja’Marr Chase was effectively shut down with a hip injury. The Bengals opted not to place him on Injured Reserve with the hope he would heal within a month of keeping him out of football.

If Chase were to start practicing again this time next week, he would’ve missed exactly four weeks of action.

Chase has been resting since late October to allow the hairline fracture in his hip to fully heal. He’s been seen using crutches to move around the team facility, but James Rapien of AllBengals.com reports Chase was walking around with no assistance earlier this week.

It’s all been about having that fracture heal. Once that happens, Chase can resume normal activity.

Chase was on a tear before his injury. During the first seven weeks of the season, the second-year receiver ranked tied for first in touchdowns and sixth in receiving yards among NFL wide receivers. He racked up 130 yards and two touchdowns in his last game against the Atlanta Falcons, while he was dealing with the bad hip.