A.J. Green is looking at the "long-term picture" after he was ruled out of the Cincinnati Bengals' encounter with the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

The wide receiver is not ready to make his first appearance of the NFL season when the Bengals host the Ravens, as he is still being troubled by an ankle injury sustained in the team's preseason training camp.

The 31-year-old is unsure when he will be available for selection and will not take any chances with his fitness.

"I'm a competitor. I want to play, but sometimes you go through these bumps in the road, that you've got to stay focused," Green said on Thursday.

"You've got to look at the long-term picture. I've got to make sure I can play for another five years without having to worry about this thing, not just thinking of the now."

Green added: "Maybe [he will] take a day off and then go from there. It's just a process. For me, I can’t go out there when I'm not 100 per cent.

"It makes no sense for me to put myself in that situation where I can have another time hurting [his ankle], just like I did my toe. It's all about make sure I'm taking care of myself first. Everything else comes after that."

The 0-8 Bengals – the last winless team left in the NFL - are in desperate need of a lift and will be starting rookie Ryan Finley at quarterback for the first time against the 6-2 Ravens after benching veteran Andy Dalton.