Zack

Moss

Moss is still expected to miss the remainder of the season because of the neck injury, but this is at least a silver lining for the veteran back. Moss avoiding surgery hopefully means he will be able to play in 2025 without any complications. He signed a two-year deal with the Bengals last offseason and could return as a steady, between-the-tackles complement to Chase Brown.

Khalil Herbert will now slot in as Chase Brown’s backup. Moss finishes the year with a 74/242/2 rushing line and caught 23 of 27 targets for 187 yards and a touchdown in his most extensive receiving work yet. It’s possible he’s back next year on a $4.9 million cap figure if the neck isn’t a longer-term concern than the next few months. If not, Moss will be a credible backup/committee option in free agency next offseason.

The Bengals make the move for Herbert after losing Zack Moss (neck) for what seems like an extended period, perhaps the rest of the regular season. Chase Brown, who had 32 touches in Week 9 against the Raiders, will continue operating as the Bengals’ No. 1 back, though Herbert could mix in for a few touches a game. The efficient Herbert could find himself in the RB1 role if Brown misses time in the short term.

Moss suffered his neck injury in practice last week and will now miss what appears to be an extended period of time. Whether or not the veteran running back lands on injured reserve ahead of Thursday’s game against the Ravens will give us a look into how severe the team considers the injury to be. For now, however, we can expect the Bengals to lean heavily on Chase Brown like we saw in Week 9’s win over the Raiders.

Moss was listed as doubtful heading into the weekend and is now officially ruled out after not practicing due to a neck issue Friday. Chase Brown will be a high-end RB2 with RB1 upside for Week 9 against the Raiders. Also inactive for the Bengals are WR Charlie Jones, WR Jermaine Burton, WR Tee Higgins, OT Orlando Brown Jr., TE Tanner McLachlan and DT Jay Tufele. Jones (groin), Higgins (quad), and Brown (knee) are also out due to injury, while Burton is a surprising healthy scratch.

Moss’s addition to the injury report comes as a surprise to everyone, even the local reporters. He was not on the teams’ report before being listed as a DNP and doubtful on Friday. Moss is all but certain to miss Week 9 despite the doubtful tag leaving some margin for error. Chase Brown should dominate the backfield work in his absence. With no competition for touches, Brown will flirt with an RB1 ranking heading into a great matchup with the Raiders.

Moss was the first running back in for the Bengals this week, rotating with Chase Brown on the first drive of the game. He saw six touches on the first drive, compared to Brown’s four, but saw just three more touches the rest of the game. The Bengals’ run game was stagnant, though Moss’s usage was notably heavy for pass-catching. He caught a few swing passes and checkdowns, totaling 28 yards on four receptions. It seems he is the Bengals’ preferred pass-protection and pass-catching back. Moss is a high-end RB3 heading into Week 9 against the Raiders.

Moss was the second running back in after Chase Brown this week, rushing for an inefficient seven yards on six carries. He also caught three passes for 33 yards, but there wasn’t much opportunity against a tough Browns defense. The Bengals’ running back rotation is shaping out to be a 1A-1B situation with Moss as the 1B for now. He is a low-end RB2 play against the Eagles for Week 8.

Moss struggled along with the rest of the Cincinnati offense on a night the team scored on their first and last possession but managed a lone field goal between the bookended touchdown drives. A lost fumble on the team’s first possession of the second half saw Moss retreat to the bench, paving the way for Chase Brown to score in the fourth quarter. Moss had not played fewer than 60% of the team’s offensive snaps until tonight, making it a situation to monitor as the team prepares to face the Browns on the road in Week 7.

The foot injury Moss suffered late in Week 5’s loss to the Ravens has limited him in practice throughout the week, but it won’t keep him out of Sunday’s contest against the Giants. Moss will be in line to his share of the 50-50 split he and Chase Brown have found themselves in for much of the season, and can be treated as a low-end RB2 in what should be a plus fantasy matchup.