Tamaurice “Tee” Higgins is a starting wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals. The 5-star recruit played a backup role his freshman year at Clemson. The following season, Higgins became a starter, and led the Tigers in receptions and receiving touchdowns, playing a pivotal role in the Tigers' National Championship victory over Alabama. Following his junior season, when he finally cracked the 1,000 receiving yards mark, Higgins declared for the NFL draft. He produced above average college stats and possesses the requisite size to be a No. 1 receiver in the NFL and an 81-inch wingspan, there were questions about his profile. Higgins' 4.59 second 40-time likely kept him from being selected in the first round, but the Bengals selected him at the top of the second round.
Higgins immediately usurped Tyler Boyd as the top receiving option in Cincinnati, developing a strong rapport with rookie quarterback and No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow. He made his mark in Week 10, when he erupted for 7-115-1 and surpassed a 90-percent Snap Share for the first time. His production took a downturn after Joe Burrow tore his ACL the following week, however. Higgins’ rookie season Next Gen Stats capped off a positive debut campaign. He earned 1,262 Air Yards, 24 Deep Targets, and 297 Yards After Catch with only 4 dropped passes.
The Bengals drafted Ja'Marr Chase in 2021 and the Bengals' passing attack shifted to a new gear. Higgins is the clear No. 2 receiver in the offense, but he put up four games of over 100 receiving yards in the span of 5 weeks in his sophomore season. He improved upon many opportunity and production metrics from 2020 to 2021, most notably a 23.9-percent Target Share, 2.43 Yards per Route Run, and a top-24 fantasy ranking. He played a large role in the Bengals' Cinderella run to the Super Bowl. He hauled in 4 receptions for 100 yards and two touchdowns in a losing effort in Super Bowl LVI. Higgins continued to play second-fiddle to Chase in 2022, but recorded another 1,000-yard season and seven touchdowns, with a 97.4-percent True Catch Rate - good for a WR26 finish in fantasy points per game.
Higgins' 2023 campaign was marred by injuries and inconsistency. He missed a chunk of the season due to a hamstring injury, and he never seemed to get back to full health until late in the season. During weeks 15 and 16 he finished as a top ten wide receiver in fantasy, showing that the talent was still there. During the 2024 offseason, he did ask for a trade but the Bengals have not followed through on that request. He is currently playing under the franchise tag while the Bengals decide on his fate. Assuming full health, he should bounce back to his production similar to his 2022 season.
