Chris Godwin Jr. or Tee Higgins: Who Should You Start?
Preliminary board2026 Week 2 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.
Verdicts sharpen as practice reports land.
Higgins' scoring role edges Godwin's stronger route floor
Tee Higgins gets the nod because his red-zone mismatch gives his targets more scoring leverage, even in a slightly less favorable team environment. Godwin's heavier snap role and Tampa's stronger scoring outlook provide a real floor, but CBS Sports 2026-09-14 noted that his extensive route work produced only four targets. Higgins carries more volatility because his 72% snap share leaves less margin for missed opportunities, but his stronger target involvement and touchdown profile make him the better play across formats.
What flips it: A verified bump in Godwin’s target priority after the opener.
Sources: CBS Sports · Sep 14, 2026
AI editor
Chris Godwin Jr.
6.28.09.8 Projected Points
Tee Higgins
7.910.112.2 Projected Points
Chris Godwin Jr.’s market
Tee Higgins’s market
Why Chris Godwin Jr.
Toss-UpStarting WR with slot-to-boundary versatility. Physical route runner and YAC producer; recent seasons shortened by injury.
Toss-up — WR42 consensus, projects WR47 this week: CLE is the 9th-softest matchup vs WRs, 24.0 implied team total.
- Godwin’s route presence is encouraging, but limited target priority caps his floor. [CBS Sports 2026-09-14]
- Tampa Bay’s favorable scoring outlook supports Godwin if the game follows the expected script.
Latest on Godwin
Godwin ran 32 routes on 36 Mayfield dropbacks (second-most on the team) and was lined up in the slot 54.3% of the time, but was targeted just four times, finishing fourth on the team.
CBS Sports · Sep 14, 2026Gabriel Kahaian joins Brianna Dix and Scott Smith this season in their weekly competition of predicting who the Bucs' brightest star will prove to be in the upcoming game, and two of three picks are players new to the roster in 2026
Tampa Bay players voted for their team captains on Monday morning and chose QB Baker Mayfield, T Tristan Wirfs, WR Chris Godwin Jr., NT Vita Vea, LB Alex Anzalone and S Antoine Winfield Jr.
This past week, both Chris Godwin Jr. and Rueben Bain Jr. joined the Green Light Podcast with Beau Allen and discussed their mindset entering the 2026 slate and Baker Mayfield dished on facing his former teams via the Rich Eisen Show
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Why Tee Higgins
Toss-UpWR2 and red-zone mismatch. Big-bodied contested-catch winner with elite touchdown conversion.
Toss-up — WR21 consensus, projects WR27 this week: 18% target share, 12.2 PPR projected vs HOU.
- Higgins’ red-zone mismatch gives him a clearer path to a touchdown than raw volume suggests.
- His lower snap share is the main concern, but stronger target involvement makes it more actionable.
Latest on Higgins
Coach Zac Taylor indicated Cincinnati wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, who are nursing injuries in the final days before the official start of the season, should be ready for the Bengals' Week 1 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sept. 13.
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Chris Godwin Jr. | Tee Higgins |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 6.28.09.8 | 7.910.112.2 |
| Consensus rank | WR42 | WR21 |
| Opponent vs position | CLE · 24 of 321-game sample | HOU · 21 of 321-game sample |
| Receptions | 24 of 32 | 15 of 32 |
| Receiving Yards | 26 of 32 | 25 of 32 |
| Receiving TDs | 31 of 32 | 25 of 32 |
| Targets | 6 of 32 | 15 of 32 |
| Anytime TD | 31 of 32 | 25 of 32 |
| Target share | 15% | 18% |
| Reception share | 17% | 12% |
| Implied total · spread | 24.0-5.5 | 22.0+2.5 |
| Depth chart | WR2 | WR2 |
| Snap share | 86% | 72% |
| Start/Sit record | 0–0+1 toss-up | 0–1 |
Recent form
Chris Godwin Jr. — last 1 week
| Week 1 | vs CIN | 4.36.38.3 |
Tee Higgins — last 1 week
| Week 1 | vs TB | 5.97.48.9 |
Signal breakdown
- 9.8 vs 12.2 projected PPR pointsTee Higgins +
- Rank 42 vs 21Tee Higgins +
- Opponent DvP rank 24 vs 21 (32 = softest)even
- Implied 24.0 vs 22.0 team pointsChris Godwin Jr. +
- No injury designationseven
- 86% vs 72% snap shareChris Godwin Jr. +
Compare different players
Every fantasy-relevant player this week — search or filter by position.
More Godwin comparisons
More Higgins comparisons
This week’s toughest calls
- J. WilliamsJavonte WilliamsRBDALvs WSH
K. WilliamsKyren WilliamsRBLARvs NYG
- K. WilliamsKyren WilliamsRBLARvs NYGD. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs MIN
- D. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs MINB. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs CLE
- B. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs CLED. MontgomeryDavid MontgomeryRBHOUvs CIN
- D. MontgomeryDavid MontgomeryRBHOUvs CINJ. PriceJadarian PriceRBSEAvs ARI
- J. PriceJadarian PriceRBSEAvs ARIR. StevensonRhamondre StevensonRBNEvs PIT
- D. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs NYG
J. WaddleJaylen WaddleWRDENvs JAX
- J. WaddleJaylen WaddleWRDENvs JAXD. MooreDJ MooreWRBUFvs DET
- D. MooreDJ MooreWRBUFvs DETJ. WilliamsJameson WilliamsWRDETvs BUF
- J. WilliamsJameson WilliamsWRDETvs BUFL. Burden IIILuther Burden IIIWRCHIvs MIN
- L. Burden IIILuther Burden IIIWRCHIvs MINM. EvansMike EvansWRSFvs MIA
- M. EvansMike EvansWRSFvs MIAC. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs NYJ
- B. BowersBrock BowersTELVvs LAC
K. Pitts Sr.Kyle Pitts Sr.TEATLvs CAR
- K. Pitts Sr.Kyle Pitts Sr.TEATLvs CARG. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs MIA
- G. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs MIAS. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs BUF
- S. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs BUFT. KraftTucker KraftTEGBvs NYJ
- T. KraftTucker KraftTEGBvs NYJT. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs IND
- T. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs INDD. GoedertDallas GoedertTEPHIvs TEN
- D. PrescottDak PrescottQBDALvs WSH
J. DartJaxson DartQBNYGvs LAR
- J. DartJaxson DartQBNYGvs LARJ. HerbertJustin HerbertQBLACvs LV
- J. HerbertJustin HerbertQBLACvs LVC. WilliamsCaleb WilliamsQBCHIvs MIN
- C. WilliamsCaleb WilliamsQBCHIvs MINB. PurdyBrock PurdyQBSFvs MIA
- B. PurdyBrock PurdyQBSFvs MIAP. MahomesPatrick MahomesQBKCvs IND
- P. MahomesPatrick MahomesQBKCvs INDB. NixBo NixQBDENvs JAX
- B. AubreyBrandon AubreyKDALvs WSH
C. DickerCameron DickerKLACvs LV
- C. DickerCameron DickerKLACvs LVK. FairbairnKa'imi FairbairnKHOUvs CIN
- K. FairbairnKa'imi FairbairnKHOUvs CINE. PineiroEddy PineiroKSFvs MIA
- E. PineiroEddy PineiroKSFvs MIAH. MevisHarrison MevisKLARvs NYG
- H. MevisHarrison MevisKLARvs NYGH. ButkerHarrison ButkerKKCvs IND
- H. ButkerHarrison ButkerKKCvs INDT. LoopTyler LoopKBALvs NO
- Buccaneers D/STBuccaneers D/STDSTTBvs CLE
Chargers D/STChargers D/STDSTLACvs LV
- Chargers D/STChargers D/STDSTLACvs LVBears D/STBears D/STDSTCHIvs MIN
- Bears D/STBears D/STDSTCHIvs MINPackers D/STPackers D/STDSTGBvs NYJ
- Packers D/STPackers D/STDSTGBvs NYJChiefs D/STChiefs D/STDSTKCvs IND
- Chiefs D/STChiefs D/STDSTKCvs IND49ers D/ST49ers D/STDSTSFvs MIA
- 49ers D/ST49ers D/STDSTSFvs MIAFalcons D/STFalcons D/STDSTATLvs CAR
- J. WilliamsJavonte WilliamsRBDALvs WSHB. BowersBrock BowersTELVvs LAC
- B. BowersBrock BowersTELVvs LACC. HubbardChuba HubbardRBCARvs ATL
- K. WilliamsKyren WilliamsRBLARvs NYGD. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs NYG
- D. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs NYGB. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs CLE
- J. PriceJadarian PriceRBSEAvs ARIJ. WaddleJaylen WaddleWRDENvs JAX
- D. Samuel Sr.Deebo Samuel Sr.WRSFvs MIA
M. LloydMarShawn LloydRBGBvs NYJ
- A. Jones Sr.Aaron Jones Sr.RBMINvs CHI
S. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs BUF - K. Pitts Sr.Kyle Pitts Sr.TEATLvs CARM. GoldenMatthew GoldenWRGBvs NYJ
Get a Start/Sit call on your whole roster →
Save your team once and see a Start, Sit, or Toss-Up verdict on every player, every week — with the matchup, usage and game-script evidence behind each call.
Add to My Team — freeOr browse this week’s NFL games or NFL player props.