Few wide receiver rooms have been as prolific this season as that of the Cincinnati Bengals. With rookie Ja’Marr Chase leading the way, what should we expect from him, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd in DFS and playoff fantasy football leagues?
Ja’Marr Chase has had a historic rookie season
Yes, I was the guy that was way too low on Chase as a prospect. I’ve admitted that I was wrong in thinking that his athleticism and ability on “go” routes wouldn’t be enough for him to be overly successful at the next level. I was very, very wrong.
Chase had a bit of a cold stretch in the middle of the season, but he still finished with an incredible 1,455 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. He had two games this year with over 200 receiving yards, and at times he has looked like the best player on the field. The slant route that Chase housed against the Chiefs was insane. He’s a touchdown threat every time he touches the ball.
The Bengals have a matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders in the Wild Card round, and it’s a home game in Cincinnati with frigid temperatures. Opposing quarterback Derek Carr is 0-5 in games under 37 degrees. The forecast for Saturday is a high of 29. Thus, the Bengals have a great chance to advance, meaning Chase should be considered a fringe WR1 option in playoff fantasy leagues.
Don’t ignore Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd in fantasy
While Chase has been having an incredible season, Higgins and Boyd have been productive as well. Higgins logged 1,091 yards and 6 TDs in only 14 games. Between Weeks 12-16, he topped 100 yards in four out of five contests, totaling 583 yards and 4 TDs. Of wide receivers that played at least four games, Higgins finished the year as the WR13 in points per game. While everyone clamors over Chase, Higgins has been uber-productive.
Boyd has maintained a decent workload in his own right, even with Chase and Higgins seeing significant targets. Boyd finished the year as the WR31 in half-PPR formats, hauling in 67 receptions for 828 yards and 5 TDs. He’s worthy of flex consideration on a weekly basis. In total, all three receivers are great options in playoff leagues.
DFS value of Chase, Higgins, and Boyd
For the Wild Card Weekend slate of games, Chase is going to cost you a pretty penny. He’s $7,400 on DraftKings, the third-highest of any WR. Higgins is $6,300, and Boyd is $5,000. Higgins offers a similar upside to Chase, as we saw in the back half of the year. Las Vegas’ secondary is shorthanded and has given up 368 yards and 3 TDs to opposing WRs over the last two weeks.
If you want to play any of Cincy’s wide receivers in the Wild Card round, Higgins might be the best value, even though Chase provides huge upside every week.