In fantasy football, we focus on a simple draft strategy to elevate our lineups: draft good players from good offenses. Tee Higgins fits that definition perfectly, as the Cincinnati Bengals boast one of the best offenses in the NFL.
We know that the Cincinnati offense runs through Ja’Marr Chase, but Tee Higgins is Joe Burrow’s second favorite target, and the former is widely considered one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
The real question is whether Higgins can reenergize his game and stop a downward trend of his statistical production to help fantasy football managers.
Let’s break down Higgins’ fantasy outlook for 2024.
Tee Higgins’ Fantasy Profile for the 2024 NFL Season
Higgins played in only 12 games last season, seeing 76 targets. He produced 42 receptions for 656 receiving yards and five touchdowns. However, Higgins only converted 55.3% of his chances, which was 70th best in the NFL for wide receivers, per TruMedia’s reception percentage statistic.
The area of the game where Higgins dominates is down the field. At 15.6 yards per reception, he produced the 12th-best average in the league. He also had the 17th-highest yards-per-target average in the NFL (12.8).
Higgins has become Burrow’s primary deep-threat weapon in the Bengals’ offense.
This year, he looks to take on even more load as Cincinnati parted ways with Tyler Boyd and Joe Mixon, leaving a more significant piece of the pie for Higgins.
Is Higgins a Good Fantasy Pick?
Higgins is the 58th player selected in most fantasy drafts this season.
His command of air yards shows he is still a dominant wide receiver who can help your fantasy team win. If you look at the players drafted at their average draft position (ADP), there are many questions, with players like Rhamondre Stevenson, D’Andre Swift, and David Montgomery available.
The only player you should take over Higgins is George Pickens, and he goes one spot earlier in ADP.
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One of the more significant issues you must concern yourself regarding Higgins’ fantasy outlook is his bye week, as the Bengals enjoy theirs in Week 12. Although it’s not on the brink of the fantasy playoffs, it does come at a crucial point in the season where you must stack up wins to help your team advance to the big dance.
This risk does not outweigh the rewards of drafting Higgins, but we need to monitor it this season. We do get a positive nugget regarding Higgins in 2024; he faces a contract year. It is no secret he has wanted a new contract for a while, and the Bengals do not seem like the team that will give it to him.
Instead, Higgins will be playing for his future this year, and a motivated wide receiver is always a plus for your fantasy football teams.
Derek Tate’s Fantasy Analysis for Tee Higgins
Higgins’ ADP at No. 63 overall in the sixth round as the WR28 off the board suggests there is some hesitation in the fantasy community to trust the former Clemson Tiger in 2024 when you consider his draft stock was two rounds higher heading into last season. For some additional context, Higgins is being selected after George Pickens, Zay Flowers, and Amari Cooper.
Higgins’ previous track record of success definitely warrants a fourth-round selection as your WR2. If we felt confident that Higgins was happy with his contract situation entering the season, his ADP would likely be a full round higher in the WR20 range.
Yet, Higgins signing his franchise tender doesn’t exactly give fantasy managers a full vote of confidence surrounding his outlook this year.
I’m of the firm belief we should not judge Higgins by his disappointing 2023 campaign. Higgins was battling injuries, as was his MVP-caliber quarterback, which undoubtedly had a profoundly negative impact on the fantasy production from Higgins last year.
Every season that Higgins has played at least 14 games, he has finished as a top-30 fantasy WR.
The contract situation isn’t perfect, but this price point definitely makes sense for a receiver of his caliber.
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