“From WR2 to Top 100 Beast: Tee Higgins’ Gritty Rise to #77 Has the League Reconsidering Everything”

Tee Higgins has officially cracked the NFL’s Top 100 Players list for 2025, landing at the No. 77 spot.

But instead of universal applause, the ranking has reignited a familiar conversation across football circles: is Tee Higgins being severely underrated once again?

The Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver has spent the better part of the last four seasons operating in the shadows—behind Ja’Marr Chase, behind Joe Burrow, behind the spotlight that always seems to shine just a few steps away.

And yet, season after season, Higgins has put up the kind of numbers and highlight-reel moments that demand respect.

With over 1,000 receiving yards in two of his first four seasons and a knack for high-pressure plays, Higgins has carved out a role as one of the league’s most reliable perimeter threats.

Still, being placed at No. 77 raises more eyebrows than celebration.

Not because he doesn’t deserve a spot, but because many believe he deserves a much higher one.

“There are WR1s on other teams who wouldn’t even get open in the situations Higgins wins,” one AFC coach reportedly told NFL Network anonymously.

“That guy’s a problem. ”

Part of the challenge in evaluating Higgins comes from the nature of his situation in Cincinnati.

Playing alongside Ja’Marr Chase—arguably a top-three wideout in the league—means Higgins rarely sees the lion’s share of targets.

It also means national broadcasts and fantasy metrics tend to frame him as a “supporting” weapon.

But those who watch closely know he’s more than that.

Much more.

His route running is clinical.

His catch radius? Borderline absurd.

He’s tall enough to body defenders and fast enough to burn them.

What’s often missed, however, is the attitude—the relentless work ethic, the unshakable mentality, the ability to silence a stadium in one cut or one contested catch.

He may not say much in front of cameras, but Higgins plays like a man who hears everything.

And perhaps he has.

Critics, analysts, and even casual fans have long debated whether Higgins is “good because of Chase” or “good in his own right. ”

In 2023, when Chase was injured for a brief stretch, Higgins responded with a dominant two-game stretch where he torched opposing defenses with over 230 yards and three touchdowns.

That stretch alone proved what many already suspected: when given WR1 responsibilities, Tee Higgins doesn’t flinch—he flourishes.

2024 was more of the same.

He fought through a minor hamstring issue early in the season but returned to post 965 yards and 7 touchdowns in just 13 games.

The efficiency? Wild.

The clutch catches? Even more so.

And yet, when the Top 100 list was unveiled, many expected him to fall somewhere in the 50s, maybe even the 40s.

Instead, he landed at 77—a number that some see as a ranking, and others see as an insult.

Higgins, for his part, hasn’t publicly complained.

That’s not his style.

But after the ranking dropped, he posted a simple emoji on X (formerly Twitter): a zipper-mouth face followed by a fuel can.

No words.

Just a quiet message: “I hear you.

I’m storing this.

And I’ll burn with it. ”

In a year where he’s playing on the franchise tag after failing to reach a long-term deal with the Bengals, the No. 77 label could serve as the exact kind of motivation he thrives on.

Multiple reports have suggested that Higgins and the Bengals are still far apart in contract talks, and with the looming threat of free agency, 2025 may be his most important campaign yet.

And what happens if he does walk? Imagine Higgins as a true WR1 in Carolina, or New England, or Tennessee—teams starving for receiving talent and willing to spend big.

It’s not hard to envision him putting up All-Pro numbers in a system where he’s fed like the top dog.

Because, truthfully, he already performs like one now.

He just happens to share the spotlight with one of the league’s flashiest talents.

But even in that shadow, the NFL world is catching on.

Defenders who line up against him don’t sleep easy.

Coaches build double-cover schemes with Higgins in mind.

Scouts rave about his catch technique and poise.

And the numbers back it up.

Since entering the league, Higgins ranks in the top 15 for contested catch rate, red zone efficiency, and deep ball receptions.

So then why No. 77?

Maybe it’s market perception.

Maybe it’s narrative.

Or maybe it’s the simple fact that he hasn’t had the type of “breakout postseason run” that vaults players into stardom in the eyes of the masses.

But inside locker rooms and war rooms, his value is undeniable.

Teammates often describe Higgins as the glue of the Bengals’ offense.

While Chase garners attention for explosive plays and Burrow commands leadership accolades, Higgins is the steady, reliable hammer.

He doesn’t complain when the ball doesn’t come his way.

He just lines up, runs crisp routes, and wins battles.

Every single week.

And that’s the kind of player who, when finally given the full spotlight, could redefine what people think of him.

For now, he’ll wear No. 77 like a scar.

Quietly.

Proudly.

Determined to climb.

Because for Tee Higgins, this ranking isn’t the end of a conversation.

It’s the start of a statement.

One that could end in Pro Bowl selections.

Or a massive contract.

Or a playoff run where he’s no longer in anyone’s shadow.

Just him.

Tee Higgins.

The NFL’s most underrated alpha.

Finally taking what he’s earned.