Bengals RB Joe Mixon (knee) is not listed on the final injury report, so he’ll return for this weekend’s game against the Dolphins. Meanwhile, RB Gio Bernard (knee) has been ruled out. That should mean a heavy workload for Mixon, putting him right back in RB1 territory.

Bengals RB Joe Mixon (knee) was limited for the 2nd straight practice on Thursday. It sounds like he's trending toward returning for this weekend's game against the Dolphins, but we still haven't heard that he's received final clearance. Check back tomorrow for another update. RB Gio Bernard, meanwhile, has missed the first 2 practices of the week with a knee issue.

Bengals RB Joe Mixon (knee) said Wednesday morning that he still hasn't received full clearance. He added that he'll "for sure" be back for Week 6. HC Marvin Lewis seemed to suggest, though, that Mixon still has a shot to play against the Dolphins this Sunday. We'll continue to keep a close eye on his progress over the next few days.

Bengals RB Joe Mixon (knee) has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Falcons. He didn’t practice at all this week but has reportedly resumed running and cutting. Mixon has a shot to be back for Week 5. Gio Bernard gets another game as Cincinnati’s feature back on Sunday and is a RB1 in fantasy lineups.

Bengals RB Joe Mixon (knee) remained sidelined for Thursday's practice. There was some hope that he'd be back for this weekend's game against Atlanta, but that's looking unlikely. Gio Bernard will again serve as Cincinnati's feature back vs. a defense yielding massive pass-catching production to RBs.

The Bengals "fear" RB Joe Mixon needs arthroscopic surgery on the knee he injured in Thursday night's win over the Ravens, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Mixon is getting a 2nd opinion before a final decision is made. We'll update his status as soon as we know more. Mixon's absence would leave Gio Bernard as Cincinnati's lead back -- and a strong fantasy starter.

Update: ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Mixon will have a "procedure" Saturday to remove a "particle" from the knee. Mixon's expected to miss 2 weeks. That's still bad news for fantasy owners, obviously, but better than it could have been.

The Bengals added Miami RB Mark Walton in the 4th round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Walton might have gone much higher had he been able to enter last year’s draft. He broke out for 1,117 yards and 14 TDs on a 5.3 yards-per-carry average in 2016, adding another 240 yards and a score on 27 catches. He averaged 7.6 yards per carry through 5 games this past season, but his campaign was cut short by a right ankle injury that required surgery. Walton then disappointed in the pre-draft process, registering a 15th percentile SPARQ score at 5’10 and 202 pounds. He joins a crowded Bengals backfield alongside Joe Mixon and Gio Bernard. Mixon is signed through 2020; Bernard 2019.

The Bengals have fired OC Ken Zampese, according to ESPN's Josina Anderson. Zampese's offense failed to score a TD in 2 games, although QB Andy Dalton has been just as much to blame as the play-calling. We'll see if this move sparks the offense. It might also help RB Joe Mixon, who's been mired in a 3-headed committee.

UPDATE: Zampese will be replaced by QBs coach Bill Lazor, who spent 2014 and 2015 as Dolphins OC. The 2014 Fins ranked 11 in points scored and 14th in total yards. They fell to 27th and 26th, respectively, in 2015.

Bengals RB Gio Bernard (knee) avoided the PUP list and was a full participant in Friday's training camp practice. He's obviously made a ton of progress since June, when the Bengals' official website speculated that he might not even be ready by Week 1. Bernard is now on track to be a full-go for the opener. The bigger question is what his role will be in a crowded backfield that also includes Joe Mixon and Jeremy Hill. Bernard's best bet is winning a passing-down role. His 187 catches since entering the league in 2013 rank 5th among RBs.

Bengals insider Jim Owczarski expects RB Gio Bernard (knee) to be cleared for the start of training camp later this week. He'll almost certainly be eased in, but it's good news after a June report that had Bernard iffy for Week 1. It now looks like he's on track for the opener, barring a setback over the next 6 weeks. Bernard's volume will take a hit this year with the arrival of rookie Joe Mixon. But he could still bring some value in PPR drafts, where his ADP is sitting in the 13th round.

According to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, RB Giovani Bernard might not be ready for the start of the season. Bernard's expected to avoid the regular-season PUP -- which would cost him at least 6 games -- as he comes back from an ACL tear. The RB's progress will bear watching through the summer, of course, to see exactly when we can expect to see him and how close he'll be to full strength. Any missed time would give Joe Mixon more chances to show his stuff.

Bengals RB Gio Bernard (knee) is expected to be a limited participant in OTAs this week, according to ESPN's Katherine Terrell. The fact that Bernard is out there at all just 6 months after tearing his ACL is encouraging. He'll be nearly 10 months removed when the 2017 season kicks off. Bernard appears to be on track to be on the field come Week 1. The bigger issue is where his touches will come from in a backfield that now includes Jeremy Hill and rookie Joe Mixon.

The Bengals rolled the dice on Oklahoma RB Joe Mixon with the 48th overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft. Mixon’s off-field transgression — he punched a woman in 2014 — caused him to drop in the draft and will continue to haunt him as a pro. But on the field, this is a 1st-round talent. Perhaps the best RB in the class. Mixon shows good patience, power and burst as a runner. And he’s a big-time weapon in the passing game. He exploded for 1,274 rushing yards on just 187 carries this past year and averaged a robust 6.8 yards per carry across 2 college seasons. Mixon added 65 total receptions for 894 yards (13.8 yards per catch) and 9 TDs. And he doesn’t turn 21 until July. Mixon joins a crowded backfield in Cincinnati alongside Jeremy Hill and Gio Bernard. But Hill has disappointed since his rookie season, while Bernard is rehabbing from his 2nd torn ACL. Mixon certainly has a shot — and might be the favorite — to lead the 2017 backfield in touches.

Bengals RB Gio Bernard tore his ACL in Sunday's loss to the Bills, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. He's done for the 2016 season and isn't a lock to be ready for the start of the 2017 campaign. Bernard turns just 25 in 2 days and just inked a new 4-year deal with Cincinnati this summer, so there's still plenty of long-term appeal here. His absence the rest of this season will mean an uptick in volume for RB Jeremy Hill. He's averaged 21 carries in 3 career games without Bernard.

Patriots LB Jamie Collins (hip) is inactive for today's game against the Bengals. Collins' absence can't hurt the already positive receiving outlook for Bengals RB Gio Bernard.

New Bengals OC Ken Zampese confirmed that the offense will look very similar to what Hue Jackson ran in 2015. “They [fans] won’t notice anything different,” Zampese told Bengals.com. “We’ll do the same things that got us to this point. There will be some things that show up that may be different and highlight particular players. The offense is always driven by the skills of players and it’s a matter of how you get it to them. We have a couple of new pieces offensively, and I need to find out what those guys are, their skill set, and how to get them the ball.” Last year, only 4 teams posted a higher run rate than Cincinnati. So the news is particularly encouraging for Jeremy Hill and Gio Bernard. Andy Dalton also benefits from the promotion, as Zampese has been the Bengals QB coach for his entire career.

In a recent Q&A with the team website, Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin intimated that the team expects to miss TE Tyler Eifert for some part of the regular season. In answering a question pertaining to the WR corps, Tobin said, "It’s a position group that’s going to have to step up – particularly with Eifert out early in the year." The article includes no further question or comment on Eifert's status, so we'll probably have to wait until at least training camp to get a more specific timeline for Eifert's return. For now, approach your fantasy football draft as though Eifert will not be ready for Week 1. If he's out, Tyler Kroft would figure to step in at TE. Gio Bernard and the WRs might find a few more targets available as well. This will be a key situation to watch through the summer.

The Bengals and RB Gio Bernard have agreed to a 3-year, $15.5 contract extension, according to insider Tom Pelissero.  It tacks on to the final year of his rookie deal to keep Bernard in Cincinnati through the 2019 campaign.  The Bengals have tinkered with Bernard's role over the past 3 seasons, with his carries steadily declining from 170 to 168 to 154.  He's posted catch totals of 56, 43 and 49, though.  Only 6 RBs have more receptions over the last 3 years.  Bernard has finished as a top 17 PPR RB each season and should remain a RB2 for the next handful of years.

Bengals RB Giovani Bernard left Saturday night's game against the Steelers with a concussion and will not return. He'd obviously need to pass through the league protocol to be available in the Divisional Round should Cincinnati come back to beat Pittsburgh. RB Rex Burkhead will see more playing time as long as Bernard is out.

Bengals OC Hue Jackson believes RB Jeremy Hill's time to lead the offense will come. "Jeremy's still our starting tailback," Jackson said. "Everybody has seen over the last couple games that Gio has got more carries, more opportunities than Jeremy. Well, eventually that's going to flip ... Eventually it will. It's not going to stay the same and it's not going to keep happening like it's happening. That's just people you play, defenses you face, opportunities come up and you've got to make the most of them, and that's what Gio has done."  Three of Cincinnati's first 5 opponents are stronger against the run than the pass, according to Football Outsiders' efficiency metrics.  That sets up better for space back Gio Bernard.  It sounds like Cincinnati is still committed to Hill as its lead ball-carrier when the matchup dictates a run-heavier attack.  But Hill will need to be better for that to remain the case.  He's averaging just 3.0 yards per carry compared to 5.5 for Bernard.