Cincinnati Bengals Veteran Must Deliver Again With Tee Higgins Injured

Mike Gesicki will be relied upon heavily this week in an elimination game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) walks for the locker room after the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 14 game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., on Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. The Bills overcame a halftime deficit to win 39-34. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — The Bengals will be without star receiver Tee Higgins for Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens at Paycor Stadium. Cincinnati will be eliminated from playoff contention if they lose another game.

With Higgins out, the Bengals need someone not named Ja'Marr Chase to step up and make plays in the passing game.

Veteran tight end Mike Gesicki could and probably should be that guy. He had six catches on six targets for 86 yards and one touchdown in Week 14 against the Bills.

Gesicki has had a much quieter season this year after a breakout 2024 campaign. He suffered a pectoral injury earlier this year against the Packers that sidelined him for four games.

It is clear how much Burrow trusts Gesicki when you look at last season and last week alone, when both seemed to finally be fully healthy together for the first time this season. Since Gesicki got to Cincinnati, Burrow has targeted him 96 times, connecting for 74 total receptions, 784 yards and three touchdowns.

The Ravens defense has been average against tight ends so far in 2025, though they have surrendered big plays occasionally, something Burrow knows especially after tossing an incredible touchdown to tight end Tanner Hudson in the team's last matchup against the Ravens on Thanksgiving.

It was clear Gesicki was still recovering slightly from his pec injury in the Bengals' first matchup against the Ravens a few weeks ago.

Something that should play into the Bengals' favor as well is Gesicki's tendency to line up as a receiver more often than not. He's 6-foot-6, 245 pounds and has the ability to run routes and catch passes like a wide-out.

If the Bengals want to complete their first-ever sweep of Lamar Jackson, then they will have to take advantage of every opportunity to get points in a game where the Ravens will surely attempt to run the ball a lot.

That means Burrow and the Bengals need to make the most of their offensive possessions and Gesicki could play a big role in that happening on Sunday.

He started the season slow and then got hurt, but since he's been back, we got reminded how cool it is to have Mike Gesicki on the roster amongst these weapons.

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— Goodberry (@JoeGoodberry) December 11, 2025

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