Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco will get one more opportunity to start after Joe Burrow (toe) was ruled out for Sunday's Week 12 contest against the New England Patriots. While Burrow was trending in the right direction for this week, the Bengals have ultimately decided to keep him on injured reserve for at least a few more days. As a result, Flacco will remain installed as Cincinnati's starting quarterback for Week 12. He's coming off an uninspiring 199-yard clunker against the Steelers, and although he has five touchdowns over his last two games, he also has four turnovers during that span. To make matters worse, he'll be without Ja'Marr Chase (suspension), shifting Tee Higgins to the top receiver role. New England's defense has been strong this season, but it's best at stopping the run. The Patriots have allowed the ninth-most passing yards, seventh-most passing touchdowns, and 12th-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks in 2025. This matchup and situation are best defined as "good, not great." That sentiment is reflected in RotoBaller's ranking of Burrow as the overall QB17 this week.
Nov 23, 2025 9:38 AM EST
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (shoulder) practiced in full on Friday and doesn't carry an injury designation for the Week 12 meeting with New England. He has been dealing with this injury for at least a few weeks but has played through it, so few were worried about his availability. Instead, the bigger concern is the one-week suspension of Ja'Marr Chase, leaving the veteran signal-caller without his top receiving option for Sunday's contest. With Joe Burrow (toe) out for at least one more week, Flacco may be making his final start of the 2025 campaign. To his credit, he's played well during his time with the Bengals, throwing for 1,453 yards, 12 touchdowns, and three interceptions while completing 63.4% of his attempts. He struggled in the recent loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Sunday's game versus a potent Pats defense might be one of his toughest challenges of the season, especially without Chase in the mix. However, several quarterbacks are already ruled out due to injury (there could be more), and others like Justin Herbert and Bo Nix are off on a bye, so a bigger argument can be made for Flacco to remain starting in all fantasy formats. He'll still have Tee Higgins, who has scored at least one touchdown in five of his last six appearances. Andrei Iosivas has also proven to be reliable (at times) when given an expanded role, and Chase Brown's pass-catching prowess should help even more. Granted, not having Chase isn't an ideal scenario, but Flacco still has an excellent chance of staying competitive with Higgins, Brown, and Iosivas as his primary targets in Week 12.
Nov 22, 2025 12:03 PM EST
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (shoulder) was a full participant in Friday's practice session and has been cleared from the injury report ahead of Sunday's matchup against the New England Patriots, according to the team's website. It's unclear if Flacco will be the starter or return to a backup role with Joe Burrow (toe) practicing in full on Wednesday and Thursday this week, but he was limited on Friday and is officially listed as questionable for Sunday. The 40-year-old Flacco has filled in admirably for the star quarterback, totaling 2,268 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and nine interceptions in five games as a starter, ranking as QB4 in fantasy points per game (22.1) since Week 6. Flacco could wind up making one more start in Week 12 if Burrow can't go and the Bengals hold him out until he is fully cleared.
Nov 21, 2025 4:17 PM EST
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (shoulder) is likely losing his starting job soon, with Joe Burrow (foot) logging two straight full practices on Wednesday and Thursday this week. Flacco has performed admirably in Burrow's absence, bringing fantasy life back into players like Chase Brown, Tee Higgins, and Ja'Marr Chase. In his five starts with the Bengals, he has 2,268 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He also has a 46.4 QBR and a 108.6 passer rating as the team went (1-4), which was no fault of the offense, as they put up 18, 33, 38,42, and 12 points in all of his starts. Burrow is the team's clear franchise quarterback, so if the Bengals feel he is ready to go, he will. At this point, considering Flacco will likely only start one or maybe two more games, it's okay to drop him to the waiver wire in all formats once Burrow is announced as the starter.
Nov 21, 2025 8:55 AM EST
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (shoulder) was listed as a limited practice participant for the second straight day on Thursday as he battles a right shoulder issue, per Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer. It's worth noting that Flacco has been playing through the shoulder injury for multiple weeks, so his status for Week 12 against the New England Patriots may not ultimately be in question. However, star Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (toe) logged his second straight full practice on Thursday as he nears a return from the toe injury that has had him on Injured Reserve since Week 2. If Burrow is cleared to play in Week 12, that would obviously send Flacco to the bench regardless of the status of his shoulder. Flacco has largely been effective in his starts for the Bengals this season, but he struggled in Week 11 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. If Burrow remains sidelined and Flacco is pressed into action for another game, he profiles as a solid fantasy QB2 in Week 12.
Nov 20, 2025 5:01 PM EST
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said that quarterback Joe Flacco (shoulder) will not practice on Wednesday, but the plan is for him to return on Thursday, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. It's the same plan the team has had for Flacco in recent weeks as he deals with a right-shoulder issue. "We'll keep working through it and see how we go through the week," Taylor said. The Bengals aren't saying definitively that Flacco will start in Week 12 against the New England Patriots, but we'd be surprised if he's not cleared from the injury report by the end of the week. The 40-year-old gunslinger was finally slowed down by the Pittsburgh Steelers last week, going for under 200 yards with only one touchdown and an interception. He could struggle again this Sunday against the 9-2 Patriots in what could be his final game as Cincy's starter with Joe Burrow's (toe) return on the horizon.
Nov 19, 2025 1:46 PM EST
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (shoulder) didn't practice on Wednesday and Friday (limited on Thursday) due to a nagging right shoulder injury. Fortunately, it won't be enough to keep him off the field for the Week 11 AFC North clash with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Flacco spent over a decade with the Baltimore Ravens, so he's quite familiar with Sunday's opponent. However, despite numerous encounters with the Steelers over the years, Flacco's most recent showing against the team back in Week 7 was arguably his best, with the signal-caller throwing for 342 yards and three touchdowns off 31-for-47 passing. He has played at an elevated level since first suiting up for the Bengals, so expectations remain high. With that said, Flacco is surrounded by a quality supporting cast, at least on the offensive side of the ball, giving him plenty of credibility as a starting fantasy option in any format for Sunday's anticipated high-scoring affair.
Nov 15, 2025 12:23 PM EST
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (shoulder) was on the injury report again this week due to a balky right shoulder, and he even missed Wednesday's practice, but he has since been removed from the report and will play in Week 11 in a rematch against the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. The 40-year-old gunslinger is rested up coming out of the bye week, and fantasy managers who have been streaming him will be hoping that he can repeat his performance against Pittsburgh on Oct. 16. Flacco went 31-for-47 passing in that contest for 342 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions in a 33-31 comeback win. In four games since joining the Bengals, Flacco has been tremendous, throwing for 1,254 yards, 11 TDs, and two picks on 173 pass attempts. He threw for a season-high 470 yards and four TDs back in Week 9 and is poised to be a low-end QB1 in fantasy again this weekend as he continues to pepper receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins with as many targets as possible.
Nov 14, 2025 8:31 PM EST
Since taking over as the starting quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 6, Joe Flacco (shoulder) has been one of the most productive fantasy quarterbacks in the NFL. Across four starts for the Bengals, the 40-year-old has completed 64.7% of his pass attempts for 1,254 yards, 11 touchdowns, and two interceptions. Flacco is averaging 43.3 pass attempts per game with Cincinnati, a rate that virtually guarantees gaudy numbers if it sustains. However, Flacco's run as a fantasy asset may be short-lived. Earlier this week, the Bengals opened up the 21-day activation window from Injured Reserve for QB1 Joe Burrow (toe). Burrow is reportedly targeting Cincinnati's Week 13 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens for his return, which would leave Flacco with just two more games as the starter. Flacco profiles as a low-end fantasy QB1 in Week 11 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but his season-long value has taken a hit due to the Burrow news.
Nov 14, 2025 10:37 AM EST
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (shoulder) was listed as a limited practice participant on Thursday due to a right-shoulder injury, according to Paul Dehner Jr. Flacco went down as a non-participant during Wednesday's practice, but he was able to do more in practice on Thursday and is expected to be ready to start this weekend against the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers coming out of their bye. The 40-year-old has put up some gaudy numbers since coming to Cincy, but he might only be in line to make two more starts for his new team with Joe Burrow (toe) nearing a return from Injured Reserve. Flacco was on the injury report in Week 9 with his shoulder injury, but he played through it and threw for 470 yards in the loss to the Bears, so we think he'll be alright for this weekend against a Steelers secondary that has been shaky in 2025.
Nov 13, 2025 5:34 PM EST
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (shoulder) will not throw at practice on Wednesday as the team takes a cautious approach with him while he manages an AC joint sprain. Flacco suffered the injury in the Bengals' Week 8 win over the New York Jets and didn't seem to be affected by it the next week against the Bears, completing 31 of 47 passes for a career high 470 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions. The 40-year-old has thrived as Cincinnati's starting quarterback after the Bengals acquired him from the Browns ahead of their Week 6 matchup against the Packers. Flacco is the QB2 in PPR points per game since then, averaging 24.9 points per game. The Bengals' poor defense fuels high-scoring game environments, and he's been distributing the ball efficiently to his elite wide receiver duo in Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. If Flacco is unable to go, Jake Browning would be in line to start. The Bengals also opened the 21-day practice window for starting quarterback Joe Burrow (toe) on Monday, and he's targeting a return on Thanksgiving night against the Ravens, which would give Flacco two more starts for Cincinnati.
Nov 12, 2025 2:17 PM EST
Since taking over as the Cincinnati Bengals' starting quarterback in Week 6, Joe Flacco has put up gaudy statistics. Across four starts, Flacco has thrown for 1,254 yards, 11 touchdowns, and two interceptions. The Bengals opened up quarterback Joe Burrow's (toe) 21-day Injured Reserve activation window on Monday, but Burrow is reportedly targeting Thanksgiving as a return date. A Thanksgiving return for Burrow would give Flacco two more starts under center in Cincinnati, starting with a trip to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers in Week 11. Flacco torched Pittsburgh back in Week 7, throwing for 342 yards and three touchdowns. In fantasy leagues where Flacco may have been dropped during Cincinnati's Week 10 bye, he could be worth adding as a low-end QB1 option in Week 11.
Nov 10, 2025 10:12 PM EST
Despite falling to the Chicago Bears 47-42, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco lit it up again in Week 9, further solidifying his case to be a weekly option for fantasy managers. The University of Delaware product has been otherworldly since the Browns flipped him to Cincinnati. Over that four-game stretch, Flacco has accrued 1,254 passing yards (313.5 p/g) and an 11:2 TD:INT ratio across a 64.7% completion rate. Cincinnati has unfortunately dropped three of those four contests, but the veteran has been excellent for fantasy. Since Week 6, Flacco has racked up a scintillating 25.4 fantasy points per outing, with only the Chargers' Justin Herbert ahead of him (25.9). As it stands, fantasy managers could do worse than the 40-year-old as a streaming option. Furthermore, he's justifying becoming an every-week starter. Cincinnati will take on the Steelers again in Week 10. Flacco torched them a few weeks back for 342 passing yards and three scores.
Nov 3, 2025 11:41 AM EST
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco came into a Week 9 contest against the Chicago Bears banged up, but he showed no signs of it during Sunday's 47-42 loss. Flacco has looked remarkable under center since joining the Bengals in Week 6. He roasted the Bears' secondary during Sunday's game. Flacco completed 31-of-47 passing attempts for a career-high 470 passing yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions in the loss. The 40-year-old appeared to have made a miraculous comeback with two touchdowns on his final two drives. Sadly for him, Colston Loveland scored a 58-yard touchdown to secure the win for Chicago. Despite the loss, Flacco has been unbelievable under center for Cincinnati. He'll look to keep the magic going against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11.
Nov 2, 2025 6:42 PM EST
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (shoulder) will play in Sunday's Week 9 contest against the Chicago Bears. He had been listed as questionable after missing practice on Friday, but Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports that the veteran signal caller is healthy enough to suit up on Sunday. Having Flacco healthy and available offers the Bengals a major sigh of relief ahead of a potential must-win game against the Bears. Cincinnati sits at 3-5 ahead of Tuesday's 4 p.m. trade deadline, and a win on Sunday could be the difference between buying and selling. From a fantasy perspective, Flacco is a high-end QB2 option given his impressive passing skills, which have led to 784 yards, seven touchdowns, and zero interceptions over the last three weeks. He'll also boost the fantasy values of his offensive weapons, including Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Chase Brown, all of whom are startable in fantasy football this week.
Nov 2, 2025 10:31 AM EST
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (shoulder) is planning to play in his team's Week 9 matchup against the Chicago Bears, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Flacco has an AC joint sprain in his right shoulder, which could certainly impact his performance, but the veteran is at least going to give it a go in Week 9. In three starts for Cincinnati this season, Flacco has completed 64.3% of his pass attempts for 784 yards, seven touchdowns, and zero interceptions. He's also averaging over 40 pass attempts per start with the Bengals, which makes him an appealing high-volume fantasy option. Cincinnati may opt for a more run-heavy game plan in Week 9 to try to protect Flacco. Still, he profiles as a solid fantasy QB2 in a favorable matchup against Chicago. If Flacco is unable to finish the game, the Bengals would likely be forced to turn to backup quarterback Jake Browning.
Nov 1, 2025 12:19 PM EST
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor is calling veteran quarterback Joe Flacco (shoulder) questionable to play in Week 9 against the visiting Chicago Bears on Sunday, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. Taylor also said that Flacco looked good while being limited in Thursday's practice, a day after he was a non-participant due to an AC joint sprain in his right shoulder that he suffered in the Week 8 loss to the New York Jets. The 40-year-old said he was feeling good on Friday, but it's still unclear if he'll be given the green light to play this weekend. The good news is that fantasy managers will know whether Flacco is active before the first games kick off on Sunday. If he's active, he'll be a midrange QB2 option for fantasy managers as he continues to relentlessly target star wideout Ja'Marr Chase. If Flacco is inactive, it will be Jake Browning back in the starting role, which would be bad news for Chase.
Oct 31, 2025 1:18 PM EST
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (shoulder) returned to practice Thursday after missing Wednesday's session. The Bengals will need Flacco on the field as they face the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Through three games, the veteran has tossed seven touchdowns without a single interception. Flacco's ability to manage the game and distribute the ball to the Bengals many weapons solidify him as a strong option moving forward. If Flacco were to miss time, Jake Browning would regain a temporary starting role. A Browning-led offense would greatly limit the ceilings of Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, so monitor the injury report closely heading into Sunday's 1 pm kickoff.
Oct 30, 2025 2:11 PM EST
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco has been outstanding through his first three starts with the team, throwing for 801 yards and eight touchdowns with no interceptions. The 18th-year veteran has leaned heavily on Ja'Marr Chase, who's drawn an incredible 54 targets over that span. Flacco suffered a shoulder injury late in last week's loss to the New York Jets, putting his Week 9 status in doubt. With the Bengals heading into a Week 10 bye, the team may opt to give Jake Browning another spot start to allow Flacco time to recover. Even so, Flacco has played at a high level and remains fantasy-relevant across all formats once healthy.
Oct 30, 2025 10:56 AM EST
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (shoulder) is dealing with an AC joint sprain, leaving his status for Week 9 uncertain. Flacco suffered the injury late in Sunday's loss to the New York Jets, briefly exiting before returning to finish the game. If he's unable to play, Jake Browning would start in his place. The 40-year-old Flacco has been excellent in his three starts with Cincinnati, throwing for 801 yards and eight touchdowns. A Browning start would be a downgrade for Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Chase Brown, all of whom have benefited from Flacco's steady play. Fantasy managers should closely monitor this situation heading into the weekend.
Oct 29, 2025 10:51 AM EST