The Cincinnati Bengals are fighting for their playoff lives in Week 17, but they may have to do so without wide receiver Tee Higgins, who departed Sunday’s game with a first-quarter injury. What happened to Higgins, and what’s his current injury status?
Tee Higgins Injury Update
Higgins was not on the field during the Bengals’ second offensive drive against the Kansas City Chiefs. Cincinnati soon announced that their WR2 is questionable to return to Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury.
Fortunately, Higgins returned to the game early in the third quarter. He appears to avoided a severe hamstring issue.
Hamstring problems have already popped up for Higgins this season, as he was sidelined from Weeks 10 through 12 with a hamstring injury. The Bengals lost all three games without Higgins in the lineup, although one and a half also came without Joe Burrow (wrist) under center.
Higgins also missed Week 5 after fracturing a rib. Cincinnati beat the Arizona Cardinals without him, as Ja’Marr Chase erupted for 15 catches, 192 yards, and three touchdowns.
Chase is playing on Sunday, but he’s not at full strength. The former first-round pick did not suit up for the Bengals’ Week 16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers after suffering a shoulder injury against the Baltimore Ravens the week prior.
With Higgins sidelined, WRs Tyler Boyd, Andre Iosivas, Charlie Jones, and Trenton Irwin could be in line for additional targets opposite Chase. RBs Joe Mixon and Chase Brown and TEs Tanner Hudson and Drew Sample also become more significant factors in Cincinnati’s passing game.
Higgins is on pace to post the worst season of his career, as he’d managed just a 41-637-4 line coming into Week 17. He’d put up at least 65 catches and 900 yards in each of his first three NFL seasons.
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Higgins’ down campaign couldn’t have come at a worse time, given that he’s scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next spring.
Sunday’s game is a must-win for the Bengals, who entered Week 17 with an 8-7 record and are currently outside the AFC playoff picture. Cincinnati likely needs to win out to have any chance at the postseason.
Fantasy Fallout From Higgins’ Injury
The Bengals’ dynamic duo at the WR position may be down a man after Higgins got shaken up in the first half against the Chiefs.
Higgins was off to a great start against a talented secondary, but his injury could open the door for more targets in the direction of Chase and Boyd for the remainder of this contest. This would also slightly impact the fantasy value of QB Jake Browning negatively, with one of his best big-play threats unavailable.
— PFN Fantasy Analyst Derek Tate