Much has been made of how the Cincinnati Bengals traded for a legitimate force multiplier for their defense in Dexter Lawrence, and that's very true.
While it remains to be seen how the defense comes together with Lawrence as the anchor in the trenches, much of the optimism around this team has to do with the offense. By mere nature of Joe Burrow staying healthy with a halfway-decent defense, Cincinnati should easiyl win double-digit games.
What many overlook is the fact that Burrow's No. 2 target, WR1-caliber playmaker Tee Higgins, has had his own medical issues in recent years. And if he stays healthy, look out!
Tee Higgins is primed to post first 1,000-yard receiving season since 2022
Considering the Bengals shelled out a considerable chunk of change for Higgins on his second contract in a package deal with Ja'Marr Chase, it's rather shocking that Tee hasn't had a 1,000-yard season for so long.
Some of that has to do with injuries. I argued that the Bengals poorly handled his progression through the concussion protocols last season and jeopardized his career. Thankfully, Higgins sought out the opinions of other experts to get a handle on his long-term health. To the relief of many, it appears as if Higgins (for now) is in the clear.
Higgins has missed 12 games over the last three years of playoff-free Cincinnati football. The Bengals posted a 4-8 record in those contests, speaking to just how valuable he is.
Unsure precisely who this alleged fantasy guru on Elon Musk's X is, but I'll take a leap of faith and trust the data that Higgins is the No. 6 highest-scoring wide receiver since 2024 when Burrow is in the lineup:
𝗧𝗲𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗶𝗻𝘀 (𝗖𝗜𝗡)
— Lalo Pedroza (@LaloPedrozaFF) June 28, 2026
WR6 in PPG with Burrow over the last 2 seasons.
This isn’t a typical WR2 role.
It’s 1A / 1B — both get fed.
Higgins still has week-winning spikes.
If Burrow wins MVP like we expect…
you’re going to want a piece of this offense.
With Chase attracting so much deserved attention from opposing defenses, when Higgins is on the field he's darn near unstoppable, especially when Burrow is able to suit up, too.
In the last two seasons, Higgins has averaged about 7.7 targets per game, so it stands to reason he'll receive just as much volume, if not more, in 2026. The hope is that he and Burrow can enjoy clean bills of health together. If they can, not only will Higgins well exceed the 1,000-yard milestone, but the Bengals will almost certainly return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2022 campaign.
Higgins indeed has the talent to be a 1,500-yard, legit WR1 elsewhere. That he chose to stay in Cincy with Chase and Burrow speaks to the organization's overarching mentality shift of really wanting to deliver the Bengals that elusive first Lombardi Trophy. Can't wait to see how it all plays out in several months' time.
Add us as a preferred source on Google