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Lost in the (well-deserved) hype surrounding Joe Burrow’s magnificent game was yet another brilliant performance by Tee Higgins.
The second-year wide receiver out of Clemson crossed the 1,000 yard receiving mark against the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday. He now stands at 1,029 yard (15th in the league) with two games left to add to the total.
Remember before the 2020 Draft (and even after it) when people were doubting Higgins’ ceiling due to his athletic profile?
With pick 33 in the 2020 NFL Draft, the #Bengals selected Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson.
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 24, 2020
He posted a poor #RAS with elite size, poor speed, okay explosiveness, at the WR position.https://t.co/qSdCs4HlDI#SeizeTheDEY pic.twitter.com/eL9Z4Sjkv0
Well, last offseason, Higgins, who is still only 22-years-old, got stronger and faster. And ESPN’s Ben Baby shared that he was convinced that the receiver still had a lot of room to grow athletically after speaking with Higgins’ position coach from college.
And now the man who was projected to be a solid WR2 is on an absolute tear. Higgins has 114 or more yards receiving in four of his last five games, including his monster 194 yard game against the Ravens. He caught 12 of 13 targets in that contest as well.
The best part, though, is that he’s averaging 14.5 yards per catch on the season. In other words, he’s become far more of a homerun hitter than many would have expected. Just watch this dominant 52-yard reception over two defenders à la A.J. Green:
Without exaggerating, quite possibly my favourite catch of the season. Tee Higgins is a BEAST!!! pic.twitter.com/QH945n2fJo
— Evan St. Brøwn ☘️ (@FFEvanlution) December 28, 2021
A little later on that same drive, Higgins would show off his versatility on this short touchdown grab:
Not a lot of 6’5” WRs can sink on a whip route like Tee Higgins does here
— Mike Renner (@PFF_Mike) December 26, 2021
Bengals young WR trio is special pic.twitter.com/T0hKGNG12U
It should be said that Higgins didn’t just fill out the stat sheet. He was also the highest-graded wide receiver in the league for Week 16, according to Pro Football Focus.
The highest-graded WR in Week 16
— PFF (@PFF) December 28, 2021
Tee Higgins pic.twitter.com/GWhBEss9wr
We talk about Higgins’ rise and his role as part of an amazing trio alongside Ja’Marr Chase and Tyler Boyd in our preview of the Bengals’ upcoming matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs:
You can also listen on iTunes or using the player below:
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