The NFL season is nearing its end. As happens every year, injuries are rearing their ugly heads. As fantasy football managers prepare to set Week 16 lineups, it’s important to stay informed on the latest injury news. Tee Higgins missed some practice time this week due to injury. What is his current status and outlook for this week?
Is Tee Higgins Playing Week 16?
Update:Â Higgins is ACTIVE
Higgins sustained a concussion in the team’s Week 12 matchup against the New England Patriots after landing hard on the turf. Cincinnati immediately ruled him out for the rest of the contest.​
After missing Week 13, Higgins had cleared the protocol by Friday before Week 14. He participated on a limited basis Wednesday before upgrading to full participation Thursday. While Higgins did return for the Week 14 contest, the game did not unfold smoothly.​
He required evaluation for another head injury on two separate occasions during the Bills matchup. Medical personnel cleared him to continue playing each time despite having exited the protocol just two days earlier. Following the game, Higgins reported experiencing symptoms and reentered the protocol.​
This represents Higgins’ second time in the protocol within three weeks and his third career concussion. Higgins managed to participate on a limited basis during Wednesday’s practice last week. However, he regressed as the week continued and was downgraded to DNP for Thursday and Friday.​ Cincinnati ruled him out on Friday for the Week 15 matchup.
Higgins was limited at practice to open this week again, but he did upgrade to full on Friday. Higgins was listed as questionable.
It is a very strange situation. The Bengals have nothing to play for and this is Higgins’ second concussion of the season.​ If the Bengals were not sure he could play as of Friday, it seems like he should not play. But as things currently stand, the team is still awaiting word as to whether Higgins received clearance.
On Saturday night, Ian Rapaport reported that Higgins is expected to play.
Higgins’ Fantasy Football Outlook
Higgins has missed two of the past three games due to different concussions and given the nature of this season for the Bengals, it’s hard to see them putting him at any risk for the remainder of this season.
The drama around his contract was loud this offseason before he got the four-year $115 deal that he was looking for in March. He turns 27 next month, has scored 19 times in 24 games over the past two seasons and is averaging 14.0 yards per catch over the course of his career.
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Higgins is pretty clearly a top-20 receiver when healthy, but he’s currently stuck on a dozen games played for a third consecutive season. You’re keeping him on IR right now because it costs you nothing and we saw his potential to impact the box score in a major way in between the two head injuries (Week 14 at Buffalo: 11 targets, 92 yards, and two touchdowns).
But I’d approach this week like you did last: it’d be nice to have Higgins active, but it’s not the expectation.
— Kyle Soppe, PFSN Fantasy Analyst
