Who Should I Start? Christian Kirk or Tee Higgins

Wednesday, July 9, 3:34 PM

Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk was dealt from the division rival Jacksonville Jaguars for a late-round NFL Draft pick this offseason. The 28-year-old had a fantastic first season with Jacksonville in 2022, but injuries and offensive woes limited his production in 2023 and 2024. Last year, he tallied just 27 receptions for 379 yards and one score in eight games while Brian Thomas Jr. took over the WR1 role. Now in Houston, he is seemingly competing with rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel for the WR2 job behind Nico Collins. ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime believes Kirk might be the favorite to win that job. "The best way to step into the No. 2 or No. 3 role is building chemistry with CJ.. Stroud," Bien-Aime wrote. "And Kirk looked like a potential safety blanket for the third-year signal-caller." While this is promising for Kirk's fantasy prospects, the veteran has eclipsed 800 yards in just two of his seven NFL campaigns, and Houston's acquisitions of Higgins and Noel could suggest they were not comfortable with Kirk in the clear WR2 role. That said, his cost in drafts outside the top 50 WRs makes him an interesting dart throw in all formats.

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.