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

Friday, December 20, 12:40 PM

Despite missing a practice this week due to a knee injury, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins has been cleared from the final Week 16 injury report and will play against the division-rival Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Higgins has missed several games this year due to injury, so fantasy managers may have been a bit worried when they saw him miss practice on Thursday. However, the 25-year-old was being rested more than anything and is fully expected to be fine this weekend as the Bengals look to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. When healthy in 2024, Higgins has been money for his fantasy managers, scoring six touchdowns in nine games played. He's no Ja'Marr Chase, but Higgins still has WR1 upside in fantasy for this week's matchup against Cleveland. In the first meeting against the Browns, Higgins caught four of eight targets for 82 yards and a touchdown.

Friday, December 20, 10:52 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. was a full participant in practice on Friday. The 27-year-old did not practice on Wednesday, but was back to a full participant the following two sessions to close out the week. The 6-foot-4 wideout has dealt with back issues seemingly all season long, but it has cost him just one week of playing time. The former second-round draft pick has been Anthony Richardson's preferred target in the passing game over the last four weeks since being reinstated as the starting QB, averaging over five catches per contest, albeit for just 60 yards per game. The fifth-year pro hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 6, which happened to be against his Week 16 opponent, the Tennessee Titans. Although he found paydirt in that first meeting, he did so on just three catches for 35 yards. With the Titans allowing the fifth-fewest fantasy points to opposing receivers and with Richardson completing less than 50% of his passes on the season, expectations for Sunday's divisional showdown should be tempered. While the Colts are 3.5-point favorites in this one, there is a low expected total of 42.5 and Pittman Jr. projects as a WR4 this week, so hopefully fantasy managers have other options.