'Feeling Good' - Ja'Marr Chase Gives Latest Health Update, Revelation About Bengals 2026 Schedule

Chase could have a historic 2026 season.

Aug 22, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'marr Chase (1) stands on the field during warmups before the game against the Chicago Bears at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ja'Marr Chase sounds and feels fully healthy entering the 2026 season.

The Bengals' best player suffered a minor knee hyperextension last month, but all of those missed practices in the following weeks were strictly precautionary. He's been a full go in Week 1 and should be able to keep playing like an All-Pro talent starting on Sunday against Tampa Bay.

Chase is one of the most-targeted receivers on a snap-to-snap rate in NFL history, and if the offense stays healthy, he's could make history in multiple statistical ways this season.

"Feeling good," Chase said. "I've been having my usual reps the whole time, so it's been nothing different ... I pretty much stayed the same. I was still walking on my own. You know what I'm saying. Still doing stuff on my own. The biggest thing is just making sure my strength is good. So other than that, I was still good."

Precaution is fine for a player who's been one of the top-five receivers in the game basically since he stepped foot in the league in 2021.

The 26-year-old is in the prime of his career.

"I go into every year with the same mindset. You know what I'm saying. I feel like the biggest thing for me this year is just the energy from the whole team. I think that's the biggest difference that I could feel," Chase noted.

There were some funny moments from his first regular-season session, including Chase's reveal that he just found out Sunday's game is at 1 p.m. ET. Cincinnati doesn't play outside that window until the Madrid, Spain game on Nov. 8.

"I'm finding out the games are at 1 o'clock. I don't like that. To be honest, I do not. I do not like playing at 1 o'clock games. So that means I got to wake up a little earlier than usual," Chase joked.

The star rehashed a lot of the same confident talking points the Bengals have oozed all offseason. That portion of the calendar is finally almost over, with game action just three days away.

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