Bengals WR Tee Higgins ruled out vs. Ravens due to concussion

CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins will not play Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens, marking the second game he has missed this season while in the concussion protocol.

Higgins also missed the Bengals’ first game against the Ravens, a 32-14 victory in Baltimore on Thanksgiving Day.

Higgins had been limited for the first two days of practice this week. He was not spotted during the media portion of practice Friday morning.

The recent injury streak for Higgins began on November 23 against New England. Higgins took a heavy fall while going up for a pass. He remained on the ground for a few minutes before finally being carried off the field. Higgins did not play four days later against the Ravens.

On December 7 against Buffalo, Higgins took some time to get back up after another hard fall at Highmark Stadium. Higgins cleared that concussion check and another later in the game after gingerly leaving the field after finishing.

“I’m a team-first guy, you know what I mean,” Higgins said after the game. “My team needed me. I felt like they needed me, so I went out there and played.”

He finished with 6 catches for 92 yards and 2 touchdowns, including one after his last concussion, in the 39-34 loss to the Bills. However, later that evening and the next morning, Higgins reported concussion-like symptoms and was put back into the protocol.

With Higgins out, wide receiver Mitch Tinsley could be in line to receive more snaps. In the first game against Baltimore that Higgins missed, Tinsley was on the field for 67 percent of the team’s offensive snaps.

This season, Tinsley has emerged as the top backup catcher behind Higgins, All-Pro catcher Ja’Marr Chase and veteran Andrei Iosivas.

After Tinsley had two catches on nine targets in the opener against Baltimore, one of the team’s best depth players is eager to bounce back and contribute when needed.

“Of course I would like to have more opportunities against them,” Tinsley said. “Some opportunities didn’t go my way last time. But whatever opportunities I get, whether it’s one or several, it’s just about being in the moment and executing it when I’m supposed to.”

Elsewhere, Bengals rookie defensive end Shemar Stewart will likely remain on injured reserve as he continues to recover from a torn ligament in his left knee. The team opened its practice window this week. But the team’s first-round pick is unlikely to play against Baltimore, Taylor said.