Bengals' Tee Higgins: Expects to remain with Bengals
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Higgins stated at his youth camp Sunday that he anticipates playing for Cincinnati in 2024, Ben Baby of ESPN.com reports.
Higgins received the Bengals' franchise tag in late February, and a report by Adam Schefter of ESPN in early March indicated that the wideout had requested a trade. However, Higgins now appears to have had a change of heart, as his comments Sunday suggest that he's planning to suit up for Cincinnati during the 2024 campaign. It's not clear if that means progress has been made between the player and organization in reaching the long-term extension that Higgins has reportedly been seeking.
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Bengals' Tee Higgins: Expected to receive franchise tag
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The Bengals informed Higgins (hamstring) on Friday that he will receive the franchise tag, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
With the tag deadline still a week away, the Bengals have skipped negotiations for a long-term deal by letting Higgins know he will be franchised. A new contract still is a possibility, but this is apparently the most likely route as of now. The 25-year-old battled injuries during his fourth season in Cincinnati en route to career lows in yards (656) and touchdowns (five) in 12 games.
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Bengals' Tee Higgins: Won't play Sunday
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Higgins (hamstring) is inactive for Sunday's season finale against the Browns.
With the Bengals eliminated from playoff contention, Higgins will sit this one out, thus finishing his 2023 campaign with 42 catches for 656 yards and five touchdowns on 76 targets in 12 games. The 2020 second-rounder is eligible for free agency this offseason and his contract situation with the franchise will be something to monitor in the coming months. In his absence Sunday, added Week 18 snaps alongside Ja'Marr Chase and Tyler Boyd will be available for Trenton Irwin, Andrei Iosivas, Charlie Jones and Stanley Morgan.
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Bengals' Tee Higgins: Misses another practice
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Higgins (hamstring) remained sidelined at practice Thursday.
Higgins also didn't practice Wednesday, so he'll presumably need to practice fully Friday in order to avoid approaching Sunday's game against the Browns with an injury designation. On the plus side for the Bengals' Week 18 wideout corps, Ja'Marr Chase (shoulder) participated fully in Thursday's practice.
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Bengals' Tee Higgins: Misses practice Wednesday
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Higgins (hamstring) didn't practice Wednesday, Ben Baby of ESPN.com reports.
Baby previously noted that both Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase (shoulder) were spotted in uniform stretching prior to the session, but Higgins was ultimately deemed a non-participant, while Chase was a limited participant. Higgins now has two more chances to practice ahead of Sunday's season finale against the Browns, and he'll presumably need to upgrade to full activity by Friday in order to avoid a Week 18 injury designation.
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Bengals' Tee Higgins: Limited by injury in Week 17
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Higgins recorded one reception on two targets for 19 yards in Sunday's 25-17 loss to the Chiefs.
Higgins made a 19-yard reception on the Bengals' first possession, but he was held out of the game for a lengthy period of time due to a hamstring injury. While he was able to re-enter the contest, it's doubtful he was playing at close to full health. That puts him in a questionable position to take the field in a Week 18 matchup against the Browns, particularly with the Bengals eliminated from playoff contention.
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Bengals' Tee Higgins: Back in Sunday's game
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Higgins (hamstring) has returned to Sunday's game against the Chiefs, Ben Baby of ESPN.com reports.
Higgins previously left the contest with a left hamstring injury, but the wideout was able to return to action in the third quarter. Prior to his earlier departure versus Kansas City, Higgins had caught his only target for 19 yards.
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Bengals' Tee Higgins: Injures hamstring Sunday
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Higgins was forced out of Sunday's game against the Chiefs with a left hamstring injury.
Prior to his exit from the contest, Higgins caught his only target for 19 yards. In his absence, Tyler Boyd, Andrei Iosivas, Trenton Irwin and Charlie Jones are available to handle wide receiver snaps behind top option Ja'Marr Chase.
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Bengals' Tee Higgins: Scores 80-yard TD in loss
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Higgins caught five of eight targets for 140 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's 34-11 loss to the Steelers.
Higgins had just two targets in the first half. He caught one for a 23-yard gain, and the other fell incomplete in the end zone on fourth-and-1 from the 5-yard line. Higgins' third target came on Cincinnati's first offensive play after halftime, and he took it to the house for an 80-yard touchdown. That was the start of a strong second half from Higgins, which was too little, too late for the Bengals, who dropped to 8-7 heading into a difficult Week 16 road matchup against the Chiefs. It remains to be seen if Ja'Marr Chase (shoulder) will be available to reclaim his starting role opposite Higgins in Kansas City after missing Saturday's loss.
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Bengals' Tee Higgins: Start Him (Lineup Decisions)
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Jake Browning came alive last week because he started pelting Higgins with targets, pushing his passing metrics to new season-highs while Higgins himself reaped a near-30% target share in the fourth quarter and overtime (some of that with Ja'Marr Chase on the field). Chase is out for at least one game, paving the way for Higgins to be the Bengals' top receiver. While it's possible, if not likely, for Joey Porter Jr. to shadow Higgins in coverage, it's definite that the Steelers will start two new safeties. Higgins is also the big-bodied type of receiver who can pull down contested catches against anybody. Really it's the opportunity to see a ton of targets from a better-than-expected quarterback that gives Higgins appeal as a WR2 ahead of Terry McLaurin, Zay Flowers and any Steelers WR.
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Bengals' Tee Higgins: WRs to Start
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If Higgins wants to get a big contract this offseason, then this is a great week to prove himself as an impending free agent. With Ja'Marr Chase (shoulder) not expected to play in Week 16 at Pittsburgh, Higgins can show he's an alpha receiver with a strong outing as the No. 1 guy. He looked the part in Week 15 against Minnesota in the game where Chase was injured with four catches for 61 yards and two touchdowns on eight targets. He now has five games this season with at least eight targets, and he scored at least 19 PPR points in three of them. The Steelers secondary is beat up with both safeties out in Minkah Fitzpatrick (knee) and Domatnae Kazee (suspension), and Jake Browning should lean on Higgins in this matchup. He's worth starting as a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in all leagues.
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Bengals' Tee Higgins: WRs to Sit
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In his first game back in Week 13 at Jacksonville after missing three outings with a hamstring injury, Higgins had three catches for 36 yards on three targets. We'll see if things improve in Week 14 against the Colts, but I would only start Ja'Marr Chase in the Bengals passing game right now. Even though Jake Browning looked better against the Jaguars than he did against the Steelers in Week 12, it's still tough to expect him to support two receivers to a high level. And Higgins, even with Joe Burrow (wrist) this season, struggled with just three games with double digits in PPR and one game with a touchdown. Higgins is only worth starting in three-receiver leagues.
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Bengals' Tee Higgins: Returns to practice Thursday
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Higgins (hamstring) was on the field in full uniform for Thursday's practice, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports.
Higgins hadn't practiced in any capacity since Nov. 8, when he was listed as a limited participant for that session before being listed on the injury report as a non-participant for the Bengals' next eight practices. He's missed three straight games along the way, but after getting back on the field Thursday, Higgins is taking a step toward a potential return to action this Monday against the Jaguars. The extent of Higgins' practice participation will be revealed later Thursday, but if he's able to take full reps at some point within the next three days, he should get the green light to play Week 13. If available in Jacksonville, Higgins will be on the receiving end of passes from new starting quarterback Jake Browning for the first time, as Joe Burrow suffered a season-ending wrist injury Week 11 while Higgins was sidelined.
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Bengals' Tee Higgins: May return in Week 13
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Coach Zac Taylor said that Higgins (hamstring) has a chance to return to action next Monday at Jacksonville, Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. "I think so," Taylor relayed. "We'll see what we can get out of him this week as it goes."
Higgins has missed three games since hurting his hamstring in a Nov. 8 practice. The Bengals won't reconvene for practice until Thursday, at which point Higgins could take the first step toward playing again. Until that happens, Trenton Irwin will continue to see an increased role alongside Ja'Marr Chase and Tyler Boyd in the team's passing game.
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Bengals' Tee Higgins: Not seen at Friday's practice
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Higgins (hamstring) wasn't spotted at practice Friday, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Higgins didn't practice Wednesday or Thursday either, which clouds his status for Sunday's game against the Steelers. If the wideout is unavailable for a third straight game this weekend, Ja'Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd and Trenton Irwin would be in line to lead the Bengals' receiver corps.
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Bengals' Tee Higgins: Fails to practice Wednesday
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Higgins (hamstring) isn't practicing Wednesday, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Head coach Zac Taylor said that some of the Bengals injured players were improving and would return to practice Wednesday. Higgins apparently won't be among that group and thus appears in danger of missing a third straight game when the Bengals face the Steelers on Sunday. He's unlikely to put up his typical numbers whenever he gets healthy, as the Bengals are stuck with Jake Browning under center after Joe Burrow suffered a season-ending wrist injury during last Thursday's loss at Baltimore.
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Bengals' Tee Higgins: Won't play versus Texans
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Head coach Zac Taylor said Friday that Higgins (hamstring) won't play Sunday against the Texans, Geoff Hobson of the Bengals' official site reports.
With Higgins out and Ja'Marr Chase dealing with a back issue ahead of Sunday's contest, look for Tyler Boyd and Trenton Irwin to see added opportunities at receiver this weekend. When Higgins was sidelined by a rib injury Week 5, Irwin stepped into an expanded role behind Chase and caught eight passes on 10 targets for 60 yards, while Boyd logged a 6-39-0 receiving line on seven targets. Higgins' next opportunity to play will arrive this coming Thursday versus the Ravens, but on a short week, he's far from a lock to return to the lineup for that contest.
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Bengals' Tee Higgins: Deemed limited Wednesday
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Higgins was listed as a limited participant in practice Wednesday due to a hamstring injury.
Higgins' only prior appearances on the injury report this season were the result of a fractured rib he sustained Week 4, making it unclear if his listed hamstring injury is something he picked up in the Week 9 win over the Bills or during Wednesday's practice. Either way, Higgins' status is now worth monitoring in advance of Sunday's game against the Texans, especially with fellow wideout Ja'Marr Chase having missed Wednesday's session due to a back injury.
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Bengals' Tee Higgins: First 100-yard game of 2023
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Higgins caught eight of nine targets for 110 yards in Sunday's 24-18 win over the Bills.
Higgins finished as the Bengals' leading receiver while also recording his first game with 100 or more receiving yards this season. The 24-year-old experienced a steep drop in production this year, but a large part of that was tied to Joe Burrow's early-season struggles from a calf injury out of camp. Now that his quarterback has returned to form in recent weeks, we have seen Higgins follow suit with 13 receptions for 179 yards in his last two contests. A third consecutive strong outing against the Texans next Sunday would help restore some of the luster that was lost from Higgins' star earlier this season.
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Bengals' Tee Higgins: Expected to return
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Higgins (rib), who is officially listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Seahawks, is expected to play, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Higgins missed the Bengals' Week 5 win over the Cardinals with a fractured rib, but he turned in a pair of limited practices this week before logging a full session Friday. He thus appears to be trending in the right direction to play, but his status won't become official until the Bengals release their inactive list 90 minutes before Sunday's 1 p.m. ET kickoff.
