Bengals Mike Gesicki Earns Week 5 Start Edge Against Dolphins

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki and wide receiver Dohnte Meyers entered Week 5 as potential pass-catching options against the Miami Dolphins, with Gesicki gaining the stronger role after Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins returned from injury concerns.

According to The Big Lead, Chase and Higgins were active after full practices Friday, reducing Meyers' expected workload while keeping Gesicki's red-zone opportunities intact.

Gesicki has scored three touchdowns in Cincinnati's first four games, including a Week 1 performance with seven targets, five catches and 78 yards against Tampa Bay, according to The Big Lead.

"Mike is a guy we can always count on," said Zac Taylor, Bengals coach.

Gesicki has scored in each of Cincinnati's last two games, catching three passes for 37 yards against Pittsburgh and three for 40 yards against Jacksonville. Miami had allowed 18.6 PPR points per game to tight ends and 29 catches for 333 yards, according to The Big Lead.

"Two weeks in a row, Dohnte’s been thrust into roles that he didn’t necessarily practice during the week," said Dan Pitcher, Bengals offensive coordinator.

Meyers produced a career-best outing against Jacksonville after Chase exited early, catching seven of nine targets for 82 yards. He returned to a No. 3 receiver role when Chase and Higgins were available, according to The Big Lead.

Yahoo Sports reported that Bleacher Report's Moe Moton identified Meyers and Gesicki as Week 5 fantasy sleepers because of Cincinnati's injuries and Miami's matchup.

Miami allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to tight ends before Week 5, while its defense gave up the third-lowest receiver fantasy total at 22.2 PPR points per game, according to The Big Lead.

Gesicki was positioned as the stronger fantasy option because his role benefits from defensive attention on Chase and Higgins. Meyers also added value through six kickoff returns for 161 yards in Week 4, but only in leagues that count return yardage.