A.J. Green injury update: How to handle the Bengals receiver vs. Seahawks

The Bengals lost A.J. Green back in June, when he was carted off the field during an offseason workout due to an ankle injury. Despite some early optimism that it wasn’t too serious, he ultimately had to have surgery a month ago, and he still hasn’t shed his walking boot.

That’s not a good sign that Green will be ready to play anytime soon.

There are two questions we have to ask about Green going forward. First and most immediately, when is he going to be back? Nobody seems to know. The Bengals don’t want to put him on injured reserve with a designation to return, which means the team at least thinks there is a chance, no matter how slight, that he could be ready to play inside the first eight weeks of the season.

Green turned 31 this summer. He’s already missed a total of 13 games in his last three seasons. This isn’t even the first time he’s been in a walking boat this year. He had to wear one in February following surgery for the toe injury that landed him on IR after nine games last season. It’s fair to ask just how much longer Green can be a productive receiver in the NFL.

Fantasy impact: None. Zip. Zilch. Nada. He’s hurt, and nobody knows how long he’ll be out. That’s not going to do much good for your fantasy lineup. If you’re in a league with IR spots, you could always stash him there and hope for an in-season reinforcement. Otherwise, you’re better off leaving him on the waiver wire for now.