2026 Week 8 Fantasy Football Breaking News: Ja'Marr Chase Returns to Full Practice
Chase practiced fully Thursday after missing Wednesday, and his rest designation signals he should play against the Titans.
Ja'Marr Chase is trending toward a Week 8 appearance. According to ProFootballTalk (NBC Sports), Chase returned as a full participant in Thursday's Bengals practice after sitting out Wednesday with an ankle issue. Crucially, Wednesday's absence also carried a rest designation, which ProFootballTalk notes implies he should be available for Sunday's matchup against the Titans. He remains officially listed as questionable.
Ja'Marr Chase
The direction here is clearly positive. A full practice Thursday after a rest day Wednesday is about the cleanest injury trajectory you can draw up — the ankle appears to be a maintenance situation, not something that's actually limiting him. Chase has caught 32 passes for 351 yards and five touchdowns on the season, so the role and volume are not in question if he suits up. Start him with confidence assuming no setback Friday, but keep an eye on the final injury report before locking him in.
Because the news points toward Chase playing — not sitting — the opportunity concern for his backups is minimal. Tee Higgins, who averages 8.3 targets per game in PPR (point-per-reception) formats this season and runs as the clear No. 2 receiver on the depth chart, remains a solid play in his own right regardless. But don't bump him up expecting Chase's targets; plan for Chase to be out there.
Data: real stats via Sleeper, projections via FantasyPros.