A.J. Green likely out until October

The Cincinnati Bengals are scuffling along at 0-3, and it will be some time before they get back their biggest playmaker. Wide receiver A.J. Green suffered torn ligaments in his ankle in late July, and has been out since undergoing surgery. At the time, there were reports he would return in six-to-eight weeks, but that suggestion appears to have been premature.

Green met with the media the Wednesday of Week 3 to discuss his rehab. Green got out of his walking boot in early September, and was getting in some running without discomfort, per Bengals reporter Ben Baby. However, there is still no specific timeline for his return to action.

“I don’t know where they got the six to eight weeks from. It’s going to be longer than that,” Green said. “It’s just one of those things that has to heal on its own. When I feel I’m healthy enough to play at the level I’m used to playing, I just want to make sure it’s at 100 percent.”

Green is a free agent after this season, so he likely does not want to rush back and aggravate the injury. He’ll land a sizable contract extension if he is not franchised, but aggravating the injury would cut into his potential pay day.

Fantasy impact: If you have Green on your bench or IR spot, you’ll want to continue hanging on to him. Given that he is starting to get some work in, a return in early October does not seem out of the question. In the meantime, the Bengals have seen John Ross start to break out in all formats, with Tyler Boyd emerging as a solid PPR threat. In Week 3, Auden Tate was the unexpected leading receiver, finishing the game with six receptions for 88 yards.