INDIANAPOLIS -- We've known for a week that Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Green would miss the Cincinnati Bengals' game this week at Indianapolis, but it is now official.
The fourth-year wideout was on Cincinnati's list of inactives for the Bengals' 1 p.m. ET game Sunday against the Colts. It will be the second straight game Green has missed. He also missed all but six plays of the Bengals' Week 2 game against the Falcons.
In Green's place will be Mohamed Sanu, the third-year receiver who has caught 13 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns as Green's replacement so far this season. Overall, Sanu has caught a team-high 27 passes for 354 yards and three touchdowns this season. He's expected to continue to be the Bengals' top receiving threat without the superstar Green, who has been trying to battle through a toe injury since the season opener.
Green initially picked up the injury to his right big toe during the first quarter of the Bengals' Week 1 win over the Ravens. He fought through the injury and finished the game before shutting it down just six plays into the next contest.
He's hopeful to return next week when the Bengals host the Ravens.
Along with Green, the Bengals also are without linebackers Rey Maualuga and Emmanuel Lamur. They had been expected to sit this week after suffering injuries in the fourth quarter of last week's tie with the Panthers. Maualuga has a serious left hamstring injury that coach Marvin Lewis anticipates will keep him out a few weeks. Lamur's shoulder issue doesn't appear to be as serious, and the team is hoping he'll return next week.
Maualuga will be replaced by second-year player Jayson DiManche, and Lamur will be replaced by Vincent Rey.
While Green, Maualuga and Lamur were deactivated, the two players who were signed this week to help absorb their losses were activated. Receiver Greg Little and linebacker Nico Johnson were part of the 46-man gameday roster, but neither is expected to play. They simply haven't had enough time to digest their respective playbooks. Little and Johnson will only see action if the Bengals are placed into emergency scenarios that call upon one or both having to play.
Here is the full list of inactives for Sunday's game:
Bengals inactives
WR A.J. Green
LB Rey Maualuga
LB Emmanuel Lamur
DE Will Clarke
Colts inactives
OG Lance Louis
DT Arthur Jones