Jalen McMillan vs Tee Higgins: Who Should You Start?
The numbers tell a clear story here. Tee Higgins put up 12.1 fantasy points per game for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2025, while Jalen McMillan managed 6.0 across 4 games with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A 6.1-point weekly edge is substantial at the wide receiver position.
A 6.1-PPG gap gives Tee Higgins the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.
Target volume is the story here. Tee Higgins saw 98 targets in 2025, while Jalen McMillan drew 15. That workload gap usually translates into a higher weekly floor for Tee Higgins, even in weeks where Jalen McMillan posts the bigger ceiling game. Consistency-minded managers lean toward target share; boom-bust managers chase the upside.
Bye weeks matter for roster construction: Jalen McMillan sits Week 11 while Tee Higgins is off Week 12. If you are deciding between the two as a season-long roster hold, the staggered byes actually work in your favor.
