Gameday Inactives: Eagles Down Two Offensive Starters; Bengals Minus Higgins

The Bengals ruled out Tee Higgins after the star WR suffered a quad injury last in the week.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) runs to the end zone for a touchdown over the Cleveland Browns. / Cara Owsley/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles' inactive list for Sunday afternoon at Cincinnati, a city Philadelphia has never won in, is headlined by the two offensive starters that were already ruled out of the game on Friday: tight end Dallas Goedert and right guard Mekhi Becton.

The bigger news came from the other side when the Bengals (3-4) ruled out star receiver Tee Higgins, a late addition to their injury report on Friday with a quad pull suffered while running routes on air at practice Friday.

Cincinnati took it as far as possible with Higgins, one of the better No. 2 receivers in the NFL as a complement to superstar Ja'Marr Chase, before ruling out the Clemson product.

On the Eagles' side, Goedert will miss his second consecutive game with a hamstring injury suffered on the third offensive play vs. Cleveland on Oct. 13. Becton is out after a concussion in last week's definitive 28-3 win over the New York Giants.

The Eagles (4-2) will again go with only two TEs after deciding not to use any practice squad elevations this week or against activating Albert Okwuegbunam (abdomen), who remains on injured reserve after having his practice window open on Oct. 16.

Philadelphia has until Nov. 6 to either add Albert O. to the 53-man roster or keep him on IR for the rest of the season. It's the first time this season that Philadelphia has not used either of its allotted practice squad elevations.

Second-year guard Tyler Steen finished up for Becton against the Giants last week and will start in place of the veteran this week. The Eagles' talented OL is down two starters because left tackle Jordan Mailata is on IR with a hamstring injury with Fred Johnson, who played in Cincinnati from 2019-2021, filling in.

A third player ruled out Friday, defensive tackle Byron Young (hamstring), was subsequently placed on IR and will have to miss at least the next four games making him eligible to return on Nov. 24 at the Los Angeles Rams.

Taking Young's roster spot was rookie receiver Ainias Smith, who was activated off IR Saturday, after missing the first six games and could play in his first NFL game.

Other inactive players for the Eagles against the Bengals are emergency quarterback Tanner McKee, offensive lineman Trevor Keegan, and cornerback Eli Ricks.

Along with Higgins, the Bengals ruled out safety Daijahn Anthony, defensive end Cedric Johnson, tight end Tanner McLauchlan, and defensive tackle Jay Tufele.

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