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Tee Higgins

Can Bengals have three strong wideouts?

There was a story over the weekend with the Bengals talking up Tee Higgins. It's hard to know how high to get on him, with Cincinnati starting a second-year passer coming off a torn ACL one issue, but crowding the other, probably bigger one.

Cincinnati has Tyler Boyd, who's led the team in receptions three years in a row. Then they drafted JaMarr Chase, college's leading receiver in 2019, with the 5th overall pick. How will Higgins -- or any of the three -- be able to stand out while fighting each other for catches, yards and touchdowns in the offense?

I wondered how often it happened these days that a team would have three solid starters at wide receiver in a season. I defined a fantasy starter as a top-40 PPR wideout.

It was actually a little more common that I expected, although nobody would say it happens a lot. Since 2000, it's happened 21 times -- exactly once per season, on average -- that a team had three top-40 wide receivers. It actually happened three times just last year. Nearly two-thirds of those teams (13) put at least one wide receiver in the top 10.

TEAMS WITH THREE TOP-40 WIDE RECEIVERS, 2000-2020
YearPlayerTeamTgtNoYdsTDPPRRk
2020Robby AndersonCar.1369510963226.119
2020Curtis SamuelCar.97778513212.124
2020DJ MooreCar.1186611934211.525
2020Amari CooperDall.1309211145236.815
2020CeeDee LambDall.111749355219.722
2020Michael GallupDall.105598435173.338
2020JuJu Smith-SchusterPitt.128978319236.116
2020Diontae JohnsonPitt.144889237223.821
2020Chase ClaypoolPitt.109628739216.923
2018Julio JonesAtl.17011316778329.93
2018Calvin RidleyAtl.926482110208.820
2018Mohamed SanuAtl.94668384184.528
2018Mike EvansT.B.1388615248292.49
2018Adam HumphriesT.B.105768165188.724
2018Chris GodwinT.B.95598427187.225
2016Michael ThomasN.O.1219211379259.77
2016Brandin CooksN.O.1177811738246.310
2016Willie SneadN.O.104728954192.032
2015Larry FitzgeraldAriz.14510912159284.57
2015John BrownAriz.1016510037209.525
2015Michael FloydAriz.89528496172.938
2014Eddie RoyalS.D.91627787183.231
2014Keenan AllenS.D.121777834179.336
2014Malcom FloydS.D.92528566173.640
2013Demaryius ThomasDen.14292143014319.01
2013Eric DeckerDen.13687128811281.89
2013Wes WelkerDen.1117377810210.821
2013Antonio BrownPitt.16711014998315.12
2013Emmanuel SandersPitt.113677406181.532
2013Jerricho CotcheryPitt.764660210165.736
2012Randall CobbG.B.104809548242.616
2012James JonesG.B.986478414226.417
2012Jordy NelsonG.B.73497457167.537
2010Reggie WayneInd.17511113556282.53
2010Pierre GarconInd.119677846182.029
2010Austin CollieInd.71586498170.935
2009Reggie WayneInd.149100126410286.43
2009Austin CollieInd.89606767169.729
2009Pierre GarconInd.92477654148.539
2009Steve Smith (USC)NYG15710712207271.08
2009Mario ManninghamNYG99578225169.230
2009Hakeem NicksNYG74477906162.833
2009Hines WardPitt.1379511676247.712
2009Santonio HolmesPitt.1387912485234.414
2009Mike WallacePitt.72397566155.436
2008Larry FitzgeraldAriz.15496143112311.12
2008Anquan BoldinAriz.12789103811265.56
2008Steve BreastonAriz.1137710063196.425
2004Marvin HarrisonInd.13986111315287.35
2004Reggie WayneInd.11577121012269.69
2004Brandon StokleyInd.10268107710235.716
2004Nate BurlesonMin.1026810069235.517
2004Randy MossMin.864976713205.625
2004Marcus RobinsonMin.79476578160.737
2003Darrell JacksonSea.1306811379235.714
2003Koren RobinsonSea.119658964186.123
2003Bobby EngramSea.75526376157.734
2002Jerry RiceOak.1509212117257.110
2002Tim BrownOak.127819302187.928
2002Jerry PorterOak.70516889178.430
2000Isaac BruceSt.L.1358714719289.25
2000Torry HoltSt.L.1398216356282.27
2000Az-Zahir HakimSt.L.81537344158.337

Frequently, it happens with elite quarterbacks: Kurt Warner, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees. But not always, as shown by last year, with Teddy Bridgewater and Dallas' hodgepodge of Dak Prescott (just 5 games) and his backups. So no reason why it can't happen in Cincinnati, with Joe Burrow.

The Bengals look unlikely to have a significant pass catcher at tight end, and they probably won't have a powerhouse running game or shutdown defense. They might not be the first team anyone would think of as far as having three wideouts in the top 40 this season (Tampa Bay and Dallas seem more likely), but it's possible.

As for which Bengal wideout to draft, my initial thought is it will be the one available latest. All three might be pretty good, and different fantasy coaches will have different favorites.

--Andy Richardson

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