Joe Burrow Injury Update: When Will QB Return to Bengals?

One of the more devastating injuries for fantasy football owners early in this season was Joe Burrow’s Week 2 turf toe issue. Burrow fantasy owners, and Cincinnati Bengals fans are both currently wondering when Burrow will return and be back in uniform. Below, we will deliver an injury update on Burrow and look at his fantasy stock. We will also take a glance at Bengals betting odds.

🏥 When will Joe Burrow return and be back with Bengals?

Burrow injured his left toe in just the second game of the 2025 season. It was learned that Burrow suffered a Grade 3 turf toe injury, and he underwent successful surgery on Sept. 19.

Recovery time for this sort of injury is typically “several months.” For Burrow, three months seems to be the consensus and he is shooting for a mid-December return. If the Bengals are out of the playoff hunt by then, however, then it is likely they would just shut their star QB down for the remainder of the season.

Here is a look at the Bengals’ schedule around the time that Burrow is expected to return.

• Week 15 Sunday, Dec. 14: Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals
• Week 16 Sunday, Dec. 21: Cincinnati Bengals at Miami Dolphins
• Week 17 Saturday, Dec. 27 or Sunday, Dec. 28: Arizona Cardinals at Cincinnati Bengals
• Week 18 Saturday, Jan. 3 or Sunday, Jan. 4: Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals

⏳ How long will Joe Burrow be out for?

The Bengals' trade for Joe Flacco this week was actually encouraging news for those holding out hope that Burrow could return this season. It signals that the team is still "going for it" this season.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport discussed this on Good Morning Football this week.

“If you’re the Bengals, you give Joe Flacco more weapons than he’s ever had in Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase," Rapoport said. "And you give yourself a shot. Joe Burrow comes back in the middle of December, if this team can just stay alive until then.”

Through five games, the Bengals are 2-3 and have lost three straight. They won the only two games in which Burrow started.

🏈 Joe Burrow fantasy football outlook

Burrow was one of the first quarterbacks taken off the board in fantasy football drafts this past summer.  He was typically going in Round 3, 4 or 5 in most 12-team PPR leagues. 

The LSU product is still owned in 61% of Yahoo! fantasy football leagues despite the significant injury.

Burrow and the Bengals won their Week 1 game this season over the Cleveland Browns, 17-16. The 28-year-old was less than spectacular in that one as he threw for just 113 yards.

Last season, Burrow threw for a career high 4,918 yards to go with a career high 43 touchdown passes.

🐯 Bengals betting odds

Current Super Bowl odds show the Bengals with a whopping +40000 price. That is tied for the highest price in the league at the best NFL betting sites.

NFL playoffs odds show the Bengals at +680 to make the dance. Their win total is now set at 6.5 wins.