Bengals' Tyler Boyd has the correct evaluation of Tee Higgins
Here's a well-known fact in the NFL: the Cincinnati Bengals have the best starting trio of wide receivers. When Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd are all on the field at the same time, it's an extreme advantage for the back-to-back AFC North champions. And it's been that way for two years now. During […]
Here's a well-known fact in the NFL: the Cincinnati Bengals have the best starting trio of wide receivers. When Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd are all on the field at the same time, it's an extreme advantage for the back-to-back AFC North champions. And it's been that way for two years now.
During that time, Higgins specifically has elevated his game to new heights. The former second-round pick is one of 14 receivers to start at least 25 games and average at least 70 receiving yards per game since the start of the 2021 season. The list includes the very best receivers currently playing.
Higgins may also play in an offense with another elite talent in Chase, but don't mistake him for being a traditional No. 2 receiver. And make sure not to do so in front of Boyd.
Pro Football Focus' Fantasy Football Twitter account became the latest to poise this question to the NFL world this week. It didn't take long for Boyd to hit them with the perfect response.
Depth chart semantics aside, Boyd is correct. Higgins is far too dangerous as a receiver to be treated as a No. 2. He commands respect whenever he steps foot on the field. The problem for defenses is it's hard to give safety help for both him and Chase at the same time.
When defenses want to be aggressive and have to pick their poison, one-on-one matchups are created. That's a winning proposition for the 6'4" Higgins who can also stack cornerbacks on vertical routes.
This is why defenses made a habit of rotating into two-high coverages, making it more difficult for Chase and Higgins to beat them deep. This adjustment alone makes the case for the Bengals having not one, but two No. 1 receivers.
Boyd, meanwhile, remains an effective slot option eight years into his career. He's entering the final year of his contract, as is Higgins. The Bengals are expected to pay Higgins like a No. 1 receiver, while Boyd is likely entering his last season in a Bengals uniform.
But that's not stopping him for supporting one of his running mates, as it shouldn't.
Bengals’ monopoly on receivers shows in advanced stat
They have an embarrassment of riches at the position.
Featured image via © Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
