Cincinnati's first two injury reports leading up to their Week 8 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles provided a major reason for optimism. However, the final injury report provided some cause for concern, as star receiver Tee Higgins popped up on the report for the first time all week.
Tee Higgins listed as 'questionable' for Week 8 game against Eagles
Higgins was listed as a limited participant on Friday due to a quadricep injury. He's officially listed as questionable for the contest against the Eagles. This obviously isn't ideal, as Higgins has been stellar for Cincinnati this season.
While fellow star receiver Ja'Marr Chase has had more big-time highlights for the Bengals, Higgins has been central to the team's offensive success. Higgins missed the first two games of the season with a hamstring injury, and his absence was noticeable.
Cincinnati struggled to move the ball consistently without him, and it's probably not a coincidence that they lost both of the games that he missed and have won three out of the five that he's played in.
It's also likely not a coincidence that Cincinnati's offense really took off when Higgins returned to action in Week 3. The Bengals dropped 34-plus points in three straight games immediately upon his return, and his reliable production has been a big factor.
In addition to having 29 catches for 341 yards and three touchdowns on the season, Higgins has also come up big when it comes to moving the chains with 21 first downs generated.
The Bengals just have to hope that Higgins will be good to go on Sunday, as they'll need him to keep pace with an Eagles offense that features their own star receiver duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, along with lethal running back Saquon Barkley.
Higgins' final status for the game will likely be announced sometime prior to kickoff on Sunday. Keep your fingers crossed until then, Bengals fans.