Rookie Cody Core figures to see more time Sunday with wide receiver James Wright out.
You can get a head start on the inactive list after the Bengals ruled out five players for Sunday's game (1 p.m.-Cincinnati's Channel 12) in Cleveland.
The upshot is that rookie wide receiver Cody Core could make his first NFL start if the Bengals start out with three wide receivers since they only have four available after James Wright (knee) joined A.J. Green (hamstring) in the out category.
Wright is coming off microfracture knee surgery and head coach Marvin Lewis indicated after Friday's walk-through that he's sore. As it has been since Wright's surgery it looks to be a week-to-week case and he could be back for the final three games. Core is coming off his fourth NFL game, when he had his first two catches and No. 1 was a 50-yarder.
It's unclear if Green can be back next week for the Steelers at PBS, but he's now missed what amounts to four straight games, the longest absence of his career.
As they were in last Sunday's 32-14 win over the Eagles, rotational defensive lineman Wallace Gilberry (calf), backup safety Derron Smith (thigh), and backup tight end C.J. Uzomah (calf) were out. So look for defensive tackle DeShawn Williams to make his second NFL appearance.
The other two players on the inactive list? Going by the previous weeks, it figures to be quarterback Jeff Driskel and guard Christian Westerman.
