Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase out 4-6 weeks with hip injury, will avoid IR

After it was confirmed that Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase was dealing with a hip injury, concerns mounted that he could be headed to the injured reserve.

Luckily, head coach Zac Taylor announced Saturday that the team won't be taking that route.

Chase is reported to have a hairline hip fracture and torn labrum, and is expected to miss four to six weeks, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Chase met with a hip specialist on Wednesday, and is working on a recovery plan.

Chase has been dealing with hip soreness in recent days, and had not practiced all week. It’s unclear how he hurt his hip specifically. He’s not expected to play on Monday night against the Cleveland Browns and it's unclear when exactly he'll be available to return.

Since he won't land on the injured reserve, Chase might be out for less than four weeks. Which means he could return before their Nov. 27 matchup with the Tennessee Titans.

The 22-year-old had 130 yards and two touchdowns on eight receptions in Sunday’s 35-17 win against the Atlanta Falcons, which marked his second straight game with at least 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Chase has 605 receiving yards and six touchdowns on 47 receptions through seven games for the Bengals. He had 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns last season as a rookie.

The Bengals are currently 4-3 on the season and have won four of their last five games. They are listed as 3-point favorites on BetMGM against the Browns, who have lost four straight.