After spending months on the schneid in search of a new contract extension, Higgins throws in the white towel and signs his $21.8M franchise tag to lock himself in with the Bengals for the 2024 season. According to sources, a long-term deal was highly unlikely ahead of kickoff in September, and Higgins mercifully spared fantasy managers of the headache that comes with a potential holdout like Brandon Aiyuk and Ceedee Lamb are reportedly weighing/taking part in. With Higgins slated to take the field as expected in Week 1, the fantasy prospects of rookie 3rd-round WR Jermaine Burton are a bit more clouded than they would have been without Higgins in the picture (should he have been traded). While Burton will see his stock fall, QB Joe Burrow will have both of his top weapons available for the third year in a row, boosting his stock slightly with the uncertainty of Higgins’ situation no longer looming over the team. It’s been an unsuccessful offseason from a business perspective for Higgins, who has requested trades and held out from signing the franchise tag without making any headway on a long-term extension. The 2024 season figures to be a prove-it year, especially after he missed more than five games last season while putting up career-low numbers across the board.