Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins has had persistent injury issues in 2024. Higgins was again banged up during the team’s Week 18 contest vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers. Here’s the latest on the Bengals wideout.
What Happened to Tee Higgins?
It’s not totally clear when Higgins suffered his injury. His last reception was at 13:24 of the third quarter. However, at the start of the fourth quarter, the team declared him questionable to return with a left ankle injury.
.@KetteringHealth Injury Update: WR Tee Higgins has a left ankle injury and G/OT Cody Ford has a chest injury. Their return is questionable.
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) January 5, 2025
It’s possible this was simply a re-aggravation of a pre-existing injury. Higgins was limited in all three practices leading up to Week 18 with ankle and knee injuries. He was listed as questionable to play, though he was never going to miss the game with the Bengals’ season on the line.
Higgins did not depart the field but remained on the sideline with his helmet on and a coat over. The Bengals held on without Higgins, who finished with four catches on five targets for 53 yards before exiting.
After the game, Higgins revealed his injury is more significant than many may have realized. He noted that it’s a high-ankle sprain that he’ll continue to try and play through should Cincinnati get the help it needs to make the playoffs.
#Bengals WR Tee Higgins revealed tonight that he has been playing through a high-ankle sprain, and he will play through it should Cincy make it to the postseason.
“I have no choice,” Higgins said. pic.twitter.com/vYrGpBSdYu
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 5, 2025
After their win on Sunday, the Bengals can clinch the No. 7 seed and a Wild Card round trip to face the Buffalo Bills if the Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins both lose on Sunday. However, both teams are big favorites, with the Broncos hosting a Kansas City Chiefs team resting most of its top players and the Dolphins visiting a woeful New York Jets squad.
Potential Fantasy Fallout From Higgins’ Injury
Any missed time from Higgins loads up Ja’Marr Chase’s usage projection even further. The beneficiaries outside of WR1 aren’t the receivers as much as the talented RB/TE duo of Chase Brown (health permitting) and Mike Gesicki.
With or without Higgins, this offense is going to flow throw Joe Burrow’s right arm, and the increase in target equity would make both Brown and Gesicki more appealing in postseason fantasy football formats.