Who Should I Start? Austin Ekeler or Tee Higgins

Sunday, January 26, 6:46 PM

Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler tallied just 32 all-purpose yards during their loss in the NFC Championship game to the Philadelphia Eagles. Ekeler also lost a fumble. The Commanders were playing from behind throughout most of the contest, putting their rushing attack out of the game plan. However, even when Ekeler was given the ball through the air, he could not perform. He caught five of his seven targets but tallied just 17 yards. His seven targets tied him the second-most on the team, only behind tight end Zach Ertz. Throughout the season, the 29-year-old operated primarily as a change-of-pace option in the Washington backfield. Entering Sunday, Ekeler posted a strong 10.3 yards per catch and a 4.8 yards per carry. Ekeler will likely remain in this role next season as he enters the final year of his contract.

Friday, June 6, 11:19 PM

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins said that he changed his offseason regimen looking to prevent injuries while also focusing on both speed and strength. "Get my muscles right. Make sure I know what I'm doing muscles-wise," said Higgins, who returned to his usual offseason trainer in Miami. "I did a lot of everything. I was on the track a lot. I was in the weight room a lot weightlifting." Bengals.com's Geoff Hobson writes that the 26-year-old is looking as sleek as ever after missing five games in 2024 due to soft-tissue injuries. Despite missing five games last year, Higgins caught 73 passes (one shy of his career-high) for 911 receiving yards and a career-best 10 touchdowns in 12 games (nine starts). There will be even more expectations on Higgins to stay healthy after he signed a four-year, $115 million extension in March. Higgins has never played in a full season, but if he does, he should have a great shot at reaching 1,000 receiving yards for the third time in six seasons.