Jayden Higgins vs Jaylen Waddle: Who Should You Start?
Jayden Higgins and Jaylen Waddle are both viable fantasy wide receivers heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Jayden Higgins averaged 6.4 PPG across 17 games with the Houston Texans, while Jaylen Waddle posted 10.1 PPG in 16 appearances for the Denver Broncos.
A 3.7-PPG gap gives Jaylen Waddle 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. Jaylen Waddle saw 100 targets in 2025, while Jayden Higgins drew 68. That workload gap usually translates into a higher weekly floor for Jaylen Waddle, even in weeks where Jayden Higgins posts the bigger ceiling game. Consistency-minded managers lean toward target share; boom-bust managers chase the upside.
One thing to note: both players share a Week 14 bye. That means you need a backup plan at wide receiver for that week, especially if one of these two is your starter.
