Malik Nabers vs Tee Higgins: Who is the Better Fantasy Football Wide Receiver?

Malik Nabers and Tee Higgins offer unique Fantasy projections for Fantasy managers to consider at a third-round ADP.

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (1) reacts after scoring a touchdown during the fourth quarter at AT&T Stadium. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Malik Nabers and Tee Higgins are neck and neck in preseason wide receiver rankings and ADP

These receivers are currently mocked to go early in the third round in PPR leagues, but they offer different skill sets and projections in Fantasy.

Fantasy managers should consider these differences between Nabers and Higgins before selecting either one.

Malik Nabers

Nabers (WR 15, 34 ADP PPR Leagues) made his mark in the Fantasy world in the New York Giant’s rookie campaign in 2024. The former first-round pick finished as WR 6 with 18.2 FFP in PPR leagues.

Nabers’ top-10 Fantasy season finished with 273.6 total points, which is over 50 points higher than Higgins best season in 2024 of 222.1 points

Fantasy managers’ expectations were high for Nabers to make the leap as a top-5 Fantasy wide receiver as the former LSU Tigers went drafted as WR 4.

Those expectations came to an end in week 4 of the season as Nabers suffered a torn ACL, ending his sophomore campaign in abrupt fashion.

Nabers is rehabbing from the injury and is expected to be ready for week 1. 

Malik Nabers

As you can see here when he’s running to 1st that he still has a LOT of work to do to get that knee in perfect route running shape.
I still think there’s a good chance he starts in the PUP.

Here’s my most recent thoughts on him, nothing has really changed… https://t.co/o8cdonLwU2

— Jesse Morse, M.D. (@DrJesseMorse) May 31, 2026

When Nabers takes the field again this upcoming season, he will have a new quarterback targeting him.

Jaxson Dart and Nabers are yet to play a full game together, despite sharing the same uniforms last season.

Nabers left Dart’s debut midway through with a torn ACL, giving the duo just a full quarter of on-the-field experience together.

Despite the lack of connection between wide receiver and quarterback, Nabers is the standout receiver for the Giants. 

Nabers, unlike Higgins, will be the main focus of the receiving room as seen by the Giants’ offseason moves.

The Giants moved on from Dart’s favorite target last Wan’Dale Robinson, who eclipsed 1,000 yards for the first time in his career. 

Moving on from Robinson makes the Giants’ receiver room clear, Nabers is the main focus. 

Tee Higgins

Higgins (WR 16, 37 ADP PPR Leagues) has been a mainstay in the Bengals’ offense since getting drafted back in 2020 as he’s averaged double-digits FPPG in PPR leagues in every season throughout his career.. 

Throughout his career, Higgins has been serviced by strong quarterback play with Joe Burrow under center. The strong connection has made Higgins a WR 2 option with a high floor, but another star receiver in Cincinnati limits Higgins' ceiling in Fantasy.  

Bonafide top-five Fantasy wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is clearly Burrow’s favorite target when comparing Chase and Higgins in FPPG, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. 

Chase has outscored Higgins in FPPG in PPR leagues ever since Chase joined the Bengals in 2021. 

Being second fiddle behind Chase, limits Higgins’ Fantasy ceiling, even though he should still produce in a loaded Bengals offense. 

Unlike Nabers, who is clearly the number one target in New York, Higgins may disappear in some games when Chase gets double-digit targets. 

The Verdict

Nabers offers a higher Fantasy ceiling compared to Higgins, who offers a higher Fantasy floor. 

With both these receivers mocked to go early in the third round, Fantasy managers should look at who they’ve drafted before to decide who to take here.

With Nabers’ top-five Fantasy wide receiver potential and ability to be a league winner in the third round, managers who took safer first-round picks like Bijan Robinson, Puka Nacua, etc can take a swing here with Nabers as their first-round picks offer the highest Fantasy floors.

On the other hand, Fantasy managers who took riskier first-round picks like Christian McCaffery may want to look Higgins way, who is a surefire double-digit FPPG provider, despite being the second receiving option on his team.

All in all, if you’re a risk taker draft in Fantasy take Nabers, if you like the safer options take Higgins.