Is Joe Burrow Playing Week 2 vs. Texans?

Update: Joe Burrow is expected to start Sunday against the Texans. He practiced fully Friday, and Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said the quarterback is good to go, although Cincinnati officially lists him as questionable with a back injury.

Cincinnati Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow is officially listed as questionable for the Week 2 matchup with the Houston Texans.

After defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 33-27 in Week 1, the three-time Pro Bowler was largely held out of practice early in the week due to a back problem. The quarterback has downplayed the issue as nothing more than soreness and is making it clear he does not expect to miss time. Head coach Zac Taylor has been complimentary about his improvement throughout the week, and there were positive reports regarding his ability as the week progressed, leading to the official questionable tag.

The Bengals should largely be taken at their word about the availability of Burrow unless something changes leading up to kickoff. But the lengthy injury history that the two-time Comeback Player of the Year possesses and the pressure to win this season has some fans and fantasy managers on edge. 

It is fair to raise an eyebrow over some of the hoops that have been jumped through by Burrow and the organization to make it clear that they are not concerned about his status. However, it is also worth acknowledging that if this were the same terminology and timeline for a player without the same injury history, it would largely be a non-story. The full expectation should be for Burrow to be under center with no limitations on Sunday, but his level movement in the pocket and ability to drive the ball may be the bigger storyline. 

Impact of Joe Burrow’s Injury Outlook:

The Bengals will be facing off with the Houston Texans in their Week 2 matchup. Houston was expected to enter the season with a defensive-minded identity, but was shredded for 36 points and 409 total yards of offense in Week 1 by the Bills. The Bills are quickly showing this season that they are one of the most dynamic offenses in the league. This result may say more about the Buffalo offense than the Texans’ defense, but the result will be looked at as a disappointment from Houston’s perspective nonetheless.

Cincinnati enters the Week 2 matchup as a +114 underdog on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook for the Week 2 matchup. The Texans are listed as 2.5-point favorites with the game total set at 45.5.

From a fantasy football perspective, Burrow finished the season opener with 15.2 fantasy points based on DraftKings scoring in the Bengals’ 33-27 victory. This ranked 20th among quarterbacks and is 64th among all position players. He completed 25 of his 35 pass attempts for 254 yards, one touchdown, one interception, and added 20 rushing yards on the ground.

Given the matchup with one of the better defenses in the league and Burrow’s underwhelming output in Week 1, it may be wise to explore some alternative options at the quarterback position. Burrow is not known to lean on his legs at a high rate, but a back injury is the type of problem that has an impact on every function it requires as a quarterback. The risk of a big hit or wrong twist making it worse is on the table, so this is a matchup that is sure to be watched under a careful eye by the Bengals’ organization, fantasy football managers, and NFL fans alike.

Burrow is expected to start Week 2 without limitations, but fantasy managers should still confirm his active status when Cincinnati releases its inactives Sunday.