Who Should I Start? Tee Higgins or Michael Pittman Jr.

Monday, February 17, 2:44 PM

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins is expected to be franchise-tagged, according to James Rapien of SI.com. The team used the tag on him last offseason and is planning to do so again between February 18 and March 4 during the tag window. However, the organization is hoping to sign Higgins to a long-term extension this time around. The 26-year-old has hauled in 330 passes for 4,595 yards and 34 touchdowns in 70 games since being selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Higgins caught a career-high 10 touchdowns in 2024. Surely, many franchises were hoping Higgins would hit the open market, but it appears the Bengals are doing everything they can to keep the former Clemson star in Cincinnati for the short and long-term future.

Friday, January 10, 12:10 PM

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard said that wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back) will not require surgery for the fractured back that he played through late in the 2024 season. "One tough dude. Example of what you want," Ballard said. It's a testament to Pittman's toughness that he missed just one game due to his back injury. But the 27-year-old's back issues and inconsistent play from the quarterback position in Indianapolis in 2024 led to Pittman posting only 808 receiving yards -- his fewest since his rookie season in 2020 -- to go with 69 receptions (also his lowest mark since 2020) and only three touchdowns in 16 games. Better health will give him a chance to rebound in 2025, but his overall upside might be dependent on quarterback Anthony Richardson's health and his ability to improve as a passer.