Key Cincinnati Bengals Wide Receivers Should Play in Week 15

The Cincinnati Bengals passing attack should be pretty near the peak of its powers when it takes the field against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 15. Wide receivers Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd have been listed as questionable on the team's final injury report, but head coach Zac Taylor expressed optimism they'd be available for Sunday.

Bengals WRs Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins were full participants at practice today, per Zac Taylor. Said he's feeling good about both playing.
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) December 16, 2022

Boyd and Higgins practiced in a limited fashion on Wednesday and Thursday before getting full sessions in on Friday. Boyd suffered a finger injury in the Bengals' Week 14 23-10 win over the Cleveland Browns and missed all but two snaps in the game. Higgins sustained a hamstring injury in the same game, exiting after one snap.

Higgins and Boyd rank first and third on the Bengals in receiving yards, so their presence should allow the Bengals to fire on all cylinders against the Buccaneers. For all their problems, the Bucs rank sixth in passing yards allowed and seventh in net passing yards per attempt allowed. The Bengals might have struggled to move the ball if they were shorthanded at pass catcher, but they should be in line for a big day with Higgins and Boyd back in the fold.

Higgins joined the Bengals as their 33rd overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. Though overshadowed perhaps by teammate Ja'Marr Chase, Higgins has established himself as one of the league's most promising young receivers, nabbing 201 receptions for 2860 receiving yards before his 24th birthday. Boyd arrived on the Bengals as their 55th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year, $43 million extension in 2019. He's one of the league's elite third wide receivers.