Hayden Hurst off injury report ahead of Week 7 vs. Falcons

Friday Update: Hurst is off the team’s injury report and is expected to play on Sunday against the Falcons.

Thursday update: Hurst remained limited in Thursday’s practice with the groin injury, so he’ll likely head into the weekend with a designation unless he can put together a full practice on Friday.

The Cincinnati Bengals will play a non-conference game against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 7. They have been dealing with injuries to their pass-catchers this season, and it looks like this week will follow that pattern. Tight end Hayden Hurst was limited in practice on Wednesday with a groin injury, per the league’s official injury report.

Fantasy football implications for Week 7

Hurst has played in all six games this season. He is typically overshadowed by Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd but still has a role in this offense. Hurst has caught 23 of his 31 targets for 178 yards and two touchdowns. He is a fairly consistent floor but doesn't have a high ceiling when it comes to weekly fantasy football expectations. If he is active, Hurst is a fine start this week if your tight end is on bye or injured.

If Hurst is ruled inactive after not being able to practice this week, there isn’t a reason to go to his backup. Mitchell Wilcox is listed as the TE2 for the Bengals, and if you haven't ever heard of him, you aren't alone. If you were counting on Hurst and he is inactive, pivot to another team’s TE with a favorable matchup.