Alright, so I found myself in a bit of a pickle the other day, staring at my draft board, needing another receiver. It basically boiled down to two guys left that I was seriously considering: Tee Higgins or Jakobi Meyers. Tough spot, right?
My Process: Higgins vs. Meyers
First thing I did was just lean back and think about what each guy brings to the table, just off the top of my head. Higgins, you think big plays, touchdown potential, part of that high-flying Bengals offense. But you also think about Ja’Marr Chase being the main dude there, and Joe Burrow’s health is always a little bit of a question mark lately, it seems.
Then there’s Meyers. Moved over to the Raiders last year. Solid player, really reliable hands, gets a good number of targets usually. Seemed like a safe bet for decent points most weeks. But, playing alongside Davante Adams? That definitely caps how high his ceiling can go. And the quarterback situation in Vegas… well, let’s just say it wasn’t exactly stable last season and who knows about this year.
So, gut feeling wasn’t giving me a clear winner. Needed to dig just a tiny bit deeper, but nothing crazy.
- Looked at Last Year (Quickly): I just kinda glanced over their basic numbers from last season. Higgins had some down games, missed some time too. Meyers was pretty consistent, you know, getting his 5-7 catches, 50-70 yards kinda thing most weeks when he was healthy and playing his usual role.
- Considered the Team Situation Again: This was big for me. With Higgins, even with Chase there, Burrow likes throwing to him, especially deep and in key moments. If Burrow’s healthy, Higgins could have some massive weeks. With Meyers, even though he’s reliable, Adams is the target hog. Plus, the QB situation for the Raiders just felt way riskier than Cincy’s, even with Burrow’s calf stuff last year.
- Upside vs. Floor: This is always the classic debate. Meyers felt like the safer floor. You pretty much know what you’re gonna get, give or take. Higgins felt like the higher ceiling. He could win you a week single-handedly, but could also put up a dud if Burrow focuses only on Chase or gets hurt.
- Checked My Roster Needs: I looked at the guys I already drafted. I had a couple of pretty steady guys, but I felt like I needed someone who could potentially pop off for a huge score. Needed a bit more boom potential.
Making the Call
After weighing it all, going back and forth a bit in my head, I ended up pulling the trigger on Tee Higgins.
Why? Mostly came down to chasing that upside. I figured, even with Chase there, the Bengals offense just has more firepower potential overall than the Raiders. If Burrow is slinging it like we know he can, Higgins has that potential to put up WR1 numbers any given week. Meyers felt like a solid WR3, which is fine, but I decided to gamble a bit on Higgins regaining his form and being a bigger part of a better offense.
It felt like the higher-risk, higher-reward play, and at that point in the draft, I was willing to take that chance. We’ll see how it pans out, fantasy football is always a bit of a guess, isn’t it? But that was my thinking process going through it.
