There’s little to no doubt that the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver room is as stacked as ever heading into 2021. The team already had a stud slot receiver in Tyler Boyd. Plus, last year’s second-round pick, Tee Higgins, quickly emerged as one of the best pass-catchers in his rookie class. Now, they’ve added the highest-end receiver in either of the last two draft classes with Ja’Marr Chase. Certainly, Joe Burrow is going to have a lot of firepower on offense. Still, it’s important to set the expectations for this thrilling trio.
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What Should Be Expected of the Cincinnati Bengals Wide Receiver Group This Season
After an off-season with plentiful overhaul, the Cincinnati Bengals emerge with one of the top receiver groups in the NFL. Sure, Chase has to prove himself as a rookie. Regardless, they have two players that look like Pro Bowl contenders in Boyd and Higgins. Already, pundits league-wide are hyping up Cincinnati’s passing game weapons as some of the most exciting in recent years. While the proof will need to be revealed on the field, there’s certainly a reasonable amount of hype surrounding these pass catchers.
Tyler Boyd Has Established Himself as a Quarterback’s Best Friend
It’s hard to argue against Tyler Boyd as one of the top slot receivers in the NFL. In fact, he might be the best at his position in the league. Certainly, Boyd isn’t a major deep threat on the football field. Instead, he can beat up a secondary with the “death by a thousand paper-cuts” method. Oftentimes, Boyd finds a narrow gap in defenses and just takes advantage. It’s part of why he became a clear favorite target for Burrow early in 2020.
Just blessing your timeline with this unbelievable Joe Burrow-Tyler Boyd connection.
I’ve seen it like 75 times and it’s still a complete delight. pic.twitter.com/ZN5Udvyo8o
— Willie Lutz (@willie_lutz) June 27, 2021
Entering the 2020 campaign, expect more of the same from Boyd. While he might not be the highest-end Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver, he’s probably the surest bet. Over the past three seasons, he’s been quite consistent. Boyd earned a Pro Football Focus grade over 75 in each of the past three campaigns. Further, he’s had at least four touchdowns and more than 800 yards in each of those seasons. With Joe Burrow’s excellence as a quick passer, Boyd is likely to feast in 2021.
Tee Higgins is Set for a Big Leap in Year Two
Entering the second year of his career, it seems like Tee Higgins is set for quite the ascension. Currently, outlets like Pro Football Focus and Sports Illustrated are pegging Higgins as one of 2021’s breakout candidates. Granted, it’s not like he put up slouch numbers as a rookie. Higgins posted 908 yards, six touchdowns, and 13.6 yards per catch. Seemingly, he didn’t even really get going until the team’s Week 4 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Clearly, there was a point last season when he won the team’s top receiver role from A.J. Green, his childhood role model.
This Tee Higgins toe-tap catch is UNREAL 😱
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/06BwcMN3iJ
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 1, 2020
Now, Higgins is receiving massive praise from key members of the Bengals organization. Head coach Zac Taylor, offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, and star quarterback Joe Burrow have all praised Higgins’s off-season development. Considering he missed a majority of last season’s training camp with a hamstring injury, this full off-season of chemistry building should do wonders. Further, he’s had a chance to build his body to suit his own on-field goals. Not to mention, Higgins is just 22-years-old and won’t turn 23 until next January. In 2021, the ceiling is incredibly high for the second-year Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver.
Ja’Marr Chase Could Chase the Rookie of the Year Crown
Certainly, the expectations are high for Ja’Marr Chase as a rookie. The Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver is lighting it up in off-season workout programs and re-igniting his connection with Joe Burrow. Given that his LSU teammate, Justin Jefferson, compiled 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie, there’s an interesting bar set for Chase. After all, Chase was the better of the two-pass catchers at LSU and won the Biletnikoff Trophy as a sophomore in 2019 playing alongside Jefferson and Burrow. If Chase matches or exceeds that number from Jefferson in 2021, he’ll have a very good chance to become the Rookie of the Year. Notably, having a built-in connection with Burrow should be a huge benefit to the rookie.
The Cincinnati Bengals Wide Receiver Room Has Unreal Firepower in 2021
There’s a rich tradition of great Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver rooms. Fans won’t have to look back that far to recall the A.J. Green, Marvin Jones, and Mohamed Sanu trio from 2015. Even a little further back, the Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and Chris Henry combo brought tremendous excitement to Cincinnati. However, there’s quite a good chance that the Chase, Higgins, Boyd trio emerges as the best group in team history. While it might not happen in 2021, all members of the trio are under contract at least until the end of 2023. If this group reaches their ceiling, teams are going to have trouble containing the Cincinnati Bengals offense. Certainly, the arsenal of receivers is great news for Joe Burrow.
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