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The 2023 football season is over, with the Chiefs taking down the 49ers in Super Bowl 58. Fans now have some time to rest before the 2024 season starts but If you’re degenerate like me, there is no off-season. Well, lucky for you, you’re not alone, and I’m ready to start breaking down how free agency could shake up the fantasy football landscape. That said, we’re going to be looking at Tee Higgins and determining which potential landing spots will cause him to spike or plummet in value.

It’s worth noting that according to The Athletic, “It is expected that the Cincinnati Bengals will use the Franchise Tag on WR Tee Higgins.” I’m really not that surprised by this because the Bengals obviously want to keep Higgins. What will cause the Bengals not to resign or franchise tag Higgins is any conflicts because he wants to get out and get paid. 

RUMOR: It is expected that the Cincinnati Bengals will use the Franchise Tag on WR Tee Higgins, per @TheAthleticNFL pic.twitter.com/igA7eDxbaR

Cincinnati Bengals: Value Up

(Odds: -400 Via Draft Kings)

Let me preface this article by saying that Tee Higgins is being drafted with an ADP of 45.1 on Underdog Fantasy right now. Although the Bengals aren’t a shiny new toy, it’s realistically the best place for Higgins to play. Looking at DraftKings odds, the Bengals are by far the favorites as of February 13th. 

Even though the Bengals are the favorite team to sign Higgins, there’s still a chance he hits free agency. The only knock on the Bengals is that Ja'Marr Chase is still the clear alpha in this offense, limiting Higgins’s target share. That said, Higgins gets to play with an elite quarterback, Joe Burrow, and an amazing Bengals offense. Higgins has a ton of touchdown upside based on his 6’4 frame, and playing in a top offense increases the number of red zone opportunities he’ll see.

We’ve already seen Higgins finish as the WR12 twice on a PPG basis with the Bengals, and things should only get better in 2024. I understand 2023 was a down year for everyone involved but Higgins and Burrow both missed most of the year with injuries. Even if Higgins has a chance to be the number one option elsewhere, I would rather have him stay in Cincinnati because he’s attached to a fantastic situation.

Tennessee Titans: Value Down

(Odds: +500 Via Draft Kings)

I wouldn’t be surprised if Higgins sees an increase in value anywhere he goes just because it’s exciting to talk about. That said, with how the Titans roster looks right now, Higgins should drop in value if he ends up playing in Tennessee. Right now, DeAndre Hopkins is currently still with the Titans, and it would make no sense to keep both players. Higgins and Hopkins are both X receivers, except Higgins is clearly the better player.

Hopkins has a potential out this year, but even if he moves on, I still don’t like this landing spot for Higgins. If Higgins comes to the Titans, he’ll become the WR1, but is that even worth it? Will Levis didn’t look great in his rookie season, and he’s a massive downgrade from Joe Burrow. Mike Vrabel getting fired gives me hope that the Titans will pass more in 2024, but overall, their horrible situation makes this spot unappealing for Higgins.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Value Up

(Odds: +1,000 Via Draft Kings)

The Jacksonville Jaguars would be a good landing spot for Higgins as long as they get rid of Calvin Ridley. Not only would Higgins finally get a chance to become a WR1, but he’ll still have a good quarterback throwing him the ball. Trevor Lawrence has been disappointing compared to expectations, but there’s no denying that he’s a good quarterback. I don’t believe Lawrence will ever ascend into an MVP level quarterback, but the upside is there.

Higgins is a high-upside guy himself, and if Lawrence fulfills his generational prospect expectations, the two could break fantasy football. Even if that doesn’t happen, however, Calvin Ridley’s role was very effective last year. Ridley drew 136 targets and averaged 13.6 PPG. Heading into 2024, ??Higgins is the better player, and he should have an even better season than what we just saw from Ridley.

Carolina Panthers: Value Neutral

(Odds: +1,400)

If the Panthers want to land Higgins, they will have to pay him a lot of money. That’s because the organization is a mess. Bryce Young has been terrible, and no one wants to play in Carolina. In 2023, the Panthers finished last (tied with the Patriots) in points per game with 13.9. If you’re a big-body receiver like ??Higgins, you want your team to score a lot of points so you can convert those long drives into touchdowns.

I will say there are two reasons to feel okay about ??Higgins landing with the Panthers. One, let’s not forget how 33-year-old Adam Thielen was a WR1 for most of 2023 in a worse situation. ??Higgins is much better than Thielen, which gives me hope that ??Higgins can find success here. The main reason I feel fine about Tee Higgins is the addition of Dave Canales.

Young has been awful in his NFL career, but Canales is the quarterback whisper. Canales helped revive both Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield’s careers, and there’s a chance he can do the same for Young. Just like Mayfield, Young was the number one overall pick, and there’s a shot he could bounce back in year two. If that happens, Higgins will immediately rise in value because of his improved quarterback play.

Kansas City Chiefs: Value UP

(Odds: +1,500)

If Higgins signs with the Chiefs, the fantasy football community will lose their mind, and for good reason. We just saw Patrick Mahomes win his third Super Bowl with a less-than-stellar receiving core. Rashee Rice has been great as a rookie, but if Higgins comes in, he’ll automatically be the WR1 for Mahomes. It’s hard to believe Higgins will land with the Chiefs, but right now, they’re tied with the fifth-highest odds

Of course, you still have Travis Kelce, who just finished the playoffs on an absolute tear. It’s important to note that Kelce had a down regular season and in 2024 he’ll be turning 35 years old. It’s hard to knock Kelce after watching him dominate, but 35 is extremely old. There’s no doubt in my mind that if Higgins signs with the Chiefs, he’ll have the best fantasy season of his career.

New England Patriots: Value Down

(Odds: +1,500)

I don’t like what I see from the New England Patriots. There’s no positives for Higgins coming to New England outside of the fact that he’ll be their WR1. My main concern is the quarterback issue, and I don’t like the Patriots plans right now. Jerod Mayo has already hinted that the Patriots will draft a quarterback 3rd overall, which will likely be Jayden Daniels. Although I like Daniels from a fantasy perspective, that’s because of his rushing upside.

There’s also been a lot of smoke around the idea that the Patriots are going to trade for Justin Fields. Again, even though Fields is great in fantasy, that’s because he’s a good runner. If either of these players went to New England, Higgins would have a hard time getting the same passing volume he’s used to. The Patriots finished last (tied with the Panthers) in points per game with 13.9, and I don’t see things getting better from a passing volume standpoint.