It has been a rough few weeks for Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee. He missed Week 14 due to a false positive COVID test and is now in jeopardy of missing Week 15 due to an actual positive COVID test. Will he play this week during the Rams’ Tuesday night showdown against the Seahawks, or will Kendall Blanton get another start as TE1? Are there any other options for fantasy football managers this week?
Update 12/21/21: The Rams did not activate Tyler Higbee from the COVID/reserve list in time to play tonight’s game against the Seahawks.
Is Tyler Higbee playing tonight in Week 15?
For the time being, Higbee’s status is still unknown. The Rams vs. Seahawks game was postponed because of the number of players impacted by COVID. By moving the game to Tuesday, players now have the opportunity to test out of COVID protocols as late as 4 PM ET Tuesday afternoon. This means that Higbee could be activated as much as three hours before game time.
Higbee was originally placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Monday, then he came off it, only to be placed back on it on Friday. It’s difficult to imagine him being cleared in time for tonight’s game against the Seahawks, but there is no certainty around the situation.
If he plays, is Higbee a reliable fantasy TE?
The Rams’ offense has been one of the more dynamic units in the NFL this season. They are currently sixth in the league in yards per game (384.5) and third in passing yards (287.3). They are also fourth in points scored per game. A lot of their success is thanks to the play of QB Matthew Stafford.
Stafford is currently the fourth-best QB in fantasy, averaging 21.91 points per game. Obviously, WRs Cooper Kupp and Odell Beckham Jr. have profited the most. Higbee, however, has also seen some mild success. He is currently TE20 on the season, but has scored 3 TDs and brought in nearly 400 yards on the year.
Luckily for the Higbee, a game against the Seahawks could be just what the doctor ordered. If he is cleared from concussion protocol, he could be going up against the fourth-worst team against tight ends in fantasy. Seattle is currently allowing an average of 11.2 fantasy points per game to the TE position.
If Higbee is not cleared in time for this matchup, third-string TE Blanton will get the start. Blanton saw over 70% of the snaps last week in Higbee’s absence. He only had 2 receptions for 29 yards.