RADIO
When Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp was placed on injured reserve, tight end Tyler Higbee got a boost in the rankings. Number 89 proved earlier in his career that he could be a top receiving option for Matthew Stafford. Without Kupp, the Rams were left with a third-year receiver with 18 career catches (Tutu Atwell) and a rookie fifth-round pick (Puka Nacua).
Higbee hasn't stepped up to the plate. The unproven receivers, Atwell and Nacua, have. In fact, Nacua has been downright dominant, now leading the league in targets by a wide margin.
With more clarity on the Rams' passing attack and a possible return of Kupp looming, does Higbee need to be on fantasy rosters moving forward?
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What Did Tyler Higbee Do In Week 2?
The Los Angeles Rams are leading the league in the number of plays run so far this season and snapped the ball 78 times on offense in Week 2 against San Francisco. Matthew Stafford dropped back to pass 56 times, but only three of his attempts were caught by Higbee. The tight end's seven targets finished fourth on his team behind Nacua, Atwell, and running back Kyren Williams.
Higbee has caught three passes in each game in 2023. The 30-year-old's Week 2 total of 12 yards was significantly less than the 49 yards he rumbled for in Week 1 against Seattle.
Can I Drop Tyler Higbee in Fantasy Football?
Four NFL tight ends have played more than 90 percent of their team's snaps so far in 2023: Durham Smythe, Cade Otton, Dallas Goedert, and Tyler Higbee. It has not been smooth sailing for any of those tight ends.
| Average Snap Percentage | Week 1 Stats | Week 2 Stats | Total PPR Fantasy Points | |
| Durham Smythe | 98% | 3 catches, 44 yards | 3 catches, 23 yards | 12.7 |
| Cade Otton | 97% | 2 catches, 19 yards | 6 catches, 41 yards | 14 |
| Dallas Goedert | 94% | 0 catches, 0 yards | 6 catches, 22 yards | 8.2 |
| Tyler Higbee | 92% | 3 catches, 49 yards | 3 catches, 12 yards | 12.1 |
Goedert is exempt from this argument because we know what he can be in the high-powered Eagles' offense and was specifically schemed out of the Week 1 game plan by Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
The other two, Smythe and Otton, were not selected in fantasy drafts this summer. Yet, they have better numbers and higher route participation numbers than Higbee. The Rams' tight end's route participation rate of 76.3% (according to PlayerProfiler.com) ranks 18th in the league at the position.
Possible free agents like Sam LaPorta, Luke Musgrave, and Zach Ertz are more involved in their respective passing games and will be better options on your roster than Higbee.
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