The Bengals may be 4-6 on the season, but their offense is still cooking. Joe Burrow and Co. rank sixth in scoring, 12th in yards per game, and fourth in passing yards per contest.
As the fantasy football season nears playoff time, this could be a great opportunity to buy low on a stud player in the Bengals offense. Should you trade for Tee Higgins?
Higgins’ production to this point
Higgins, when healthy, is one of the best performers in fantasy this season. He’s appeared in five-of-ten games, with 29 catches for 341 yards and three touchdowns so far. In fantasy, that translates to a per-game average of 16.2 points per game, 11th best among receivers on a PPG basis. He’s played very well in his limited chances, hands down.
However, the “when healthy” is a major qualifier. This season, a hamstring ailment kept him out of the opening two games, as well as a quad injury which has sidelined him for the last three weeks. In total, he’s only played in half his team’s games.
The Bengals will likely continue throwing the ball plenty as they look to remain in the playoff hunt. They rank sixth in average pass attempts, plus their defense is poor, so they’ll often find themselves in negative, pass-happy game scripts. Regardless of game script though, Higgins has 45 targets through five games played (9 targets/game), so he’ll have plenty of opportunities.
Is it worth the injury risk?
Injuries are nothing new for the 25-year-old. Higgins appeared in just 12 games last season, which stunted his year-long fantasy production. In particular, soft tissue injuries seem to pop up often for the wideout, and these can lead to lingering issues over time.
However, Higgins is having one of the best seasons of his career on a per-game basis. His 5.8 receptions per game is a career-high, while his 68.2 yards per game qualifies as the second-best mark of his career. Of course, the 6-foot-4 receiver is a prime red zone target for his quarterback, thus, he’s always a touchdown threat any given week.
Should you trade for Higgins?
Whether or not fantasy managers should trade for Higgins depends on their team’s depth, and whether they’ll have other options to replace him if he misses more time.
As the cliche goes, the best ability is availability. Many Higgins managers may be frustrated with his lack thereof, so the asking price for him in a potential trade may be falling, especially with the playoffs looming. Most players look at position ranks rather than PPG output, and the wideout falls as the overall WR53 on the season.
If given a chance to buy low on Higgins without sacrificing too much of your roster’s depth, he may be an underrated option come playoff time. He provides consistent WR2 output when healthy, with room for WR1 spike weeks. His per-game numbers reflect WR1 production this season, too, so the value could certainly be a win.
The Crown Is Yours: Sign up for DraftKings and experience the ultimate host for games and betting experiences!
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
