RASHARD HIGGINS NEWS

Healthy scratch in Week 12 Higgins (coach's decision) is listed as inactive Sunday at Baltimore, Anthony Poisal of the Browns' official site reports.

Impact Even with rookie third-round pick Anthony Schwartz sidelined with a concussion, the Browns have elected to make Higgins a healthy scratch. This could be Higgins' reality moving forward due to his meager results this season (15-185-1 line on 31 targets in 11 games). With Higgins and Schwartz inactive, Jarvis Landry, Donovan Peoples-Jones (groin), Ja'Marcus Bradley and JoJo Natson will compose the team's group of wide receivers in Week 12.

NOVEMBER 29, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Moves into prominent role Higgins caught one of five targets for 17 yards in Sunday's 13-10 win over Detroit.

Impact Wounded quarterback Baker Mayfield (shoulder/knee/foot) misfired most of the day -- wide receivers caught seven of 15 targets -- so Higgins' 20 percent catch rate was not all on him. He saw an increased level of activity Sunday, playing 72 percent of the snaps (53 of 74), and the five targets were Higgins' most since Week 5. That usage was due to injuries to Donovan Peoples-Jones (groin) and Anthony Schwartz (concussion). Somewhere between Week 5, when Higgins caught a touchdown, and the previous two games, he fell out of favor with the coaching staff. Higgins played a combined 29 of 107 snaps (27 percent) Weeks 9 and 10, but there just too many injuries heading into Week 11. His role next Monday in Baltimore depends on the health of others, including Jarvis Landry, who aggravated a previous knee injury against the Lions but fought through it.

NOVEMBER 22, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Rashard Higgins makes AMAZING sideline toe-tapping catch Cleveland Browns wide receiver Rashard Higgins makes a sideline toe-tapping catch.

NOVEMBER 21, 2021 • CLEVELANDBROWNS.COM

Could this be the week? Higgins moves up the depth chart with rookie Anthony Schwartz sidelined by a concussion for Sunday's game against the Lions, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.

Impact For a third consecutive week following the departure of Odell Beckham, Higgins seems to be in a position to take on a higher profile in the passing game. It's unclear if he's in the coaching staff's doghouse, but Higgins played three snaps against the Bengals in Week 9, then 26 snaps Week 10 but only after Schwartz was removed. In addition to Schwartz's unavailability, Donovan Peoples-Jones is questionable with an apparent aggravation of a previous groin injury. Any Higgins optimism should be tempered by the multitude of injuries quarterback Baker Mayfield (shoulder, knee, foot) has dealt with over the past week, plus the return of running back Nick Chubb from the reserve/COVID-19 list, which should translate to a run-heavy attack.

NOVEMBER 20, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Plays more, produces little Higgins did not catch his lone target in Sunday's 45-7 loss to New England.

Impact Higgins' lone target came late in the game when the Browns were down by 31 points. The greater role that Cleveland offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said Higgins would have never materialized against the Patriots. The sixth-year wideout was on the field for 26 snaps after having just three last week against the Bengals, but Higgins has fallen behind Donovan Peoples-Jones (50 snaps), who has played a greater role post-Odell Beckham.

NOVEMBER 15, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

OC promises greater role Cleveland offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said Higgins will get opportunities now that Odell Beckham is no longer with the team, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal reports...

Impact The Browns played without Beckham last week, and Higgins went untargeted while playing just three snaps. If he were to grab a larger role without Beckham, why didn't it happen last week? However it all shakes out, Higgins and quarterback Baker Mayfield have exhibited chemistry in the past, and the wide receiver could eventually emerge as a viable target going forward. The biggest impediments to Higgins are Jarvis Landry (knee), Donovan Peoples-Jones and a heavy reliance on the running attack.

NOVEMBER 12, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Untargeted in win Higgins was not targeted and played just three snaps in Sunday's 41-16 win over Cincinnati.

Impact This was Cleveland's first game following the negotiated release of wide receiver Odell Beckham, so there was some interest in who might benefit from that decision. It looks like Donovan Peoples-Jones, who led the Browns with 86 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown catch, received a boost. Higgins has multiple years of experience in the organization, including four seasons with Baker Mayfield, and has worked well with the quarterback in the past, so he should not be written off yet. For now, however, it looks like Jarvis Landry and Peoples-Jones are the team's top wide receivers.

NOVEMBER 8, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Moves up depth chart Higgins will move up Cleveland's wide receiver depth chart after the team and Odell Beckham agreed to part ways.

Impact Higgins has never been a big part of the passing attack since joining the Browns in 2018, but he's been less so in 2021. That's due to a few reasons: the team's heavy tilt toward the running attack, its use of tight ends as receivers, and the emergence of Donovan Peoples-Jones (groin) at wideout. Now, with Beckham on his way out of town and Peoples-Jones nursing an injury, Higgins could become the No. 2 wideout behind Jarvis Landry in Sunday's game against Cincinnati. It should be noted that in 2020, after Beckham's season-ending injury in Week 7, the Browns' passing game took off. And Higgins averaged 5.4 targets per game and 16.7 yards per catch after Beckham was sidelined, including 14 targets and 116 receiving yards in two playoff games.

NOVEMBER 6, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Gathers two catches in loss Higgins caught two of four targets for 27 yards in Sunday's 15-10 loss to the Steelers.

Impact It was another quiet week for Higgins, despite Donovan Peoples-Jones being inactive due to a groin injury. He's been active for all eight games but held under 30 yards in seven of those contests. Higgins and quarterback Baker Mayfield have had a good rapport going back to 2018, but the receiver ranks 111th in the league with a catch rate of 56 percent (14 catches, 25 targets).

NOVEMBER 1, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Offense sputters, drops doom Browns in loss to Steelers

Jarvis Landry’s dependable hands failed him at the worst possible time

OCTOBER 31, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Two targets in Week 7 win Higgins caught one of two targets for minus-2 yards in Thursday's 17-14 win over the Broncos.

Impact Higgins, who went untargeted last week, was a non-factor for the second straight game. Thursday's contest marked the first time in 2021 that both Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry were active, so reduced involvement from Higgins was expected. However, a pre-game groin injury suffered by Donovan Peoples-Jones led to Higgins playing 42 snaps, second among the team's wide receivers. The Browns have 10 days to prepare for their next game against the Steelers, which gives Peoples-Jones plenty of time to get ready. Higgins had fallen behind the second-year wide receiver on the depth chart the previous two games.

OCTOBER 22, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Shut out in loss Higgins did not catch any of three targets in Sunday's 37-14 loss to Arizona.

Impact Higgins played 63 percent of the offensive snaps (37 of 59 plays) -- his biggest share since Week 2 when both Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry (knee) were injured -- but was shut out for the first time since Week 1, a game in which he played just four snaps due to his own lingering injury. Quarterback Baker Mayfield established a great connection with Donovan Peoples-Jones (four catches, 101 yards, two TDs), who has been Higgins' primary competitor for playing time and targets, so there could be a change in the wide receiver pecking order. Higgins' 19 overall targets leads Peoples-Jones (15), but the second-year wideout took on a higher profile the last two weeks with 10 catches and 11 targets compared to Higgins' three and eight.

OCTOBER 18, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Out of touch: OBJ not getting ball enough so far for Browns

Often a target for criticism, Odell Beckham Jr. isn’t in quarterback Baker Mayfield's sights

OCTOBER 14, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Rashard Higgins Mic'd Up vs. Chargers Wide Receiver Rashard Higgins was Mic'd Up for the Browns game against the Los Angeles Chargers on October 10th, 2021.

OCTOBER 13, 2021 • CLEVELANDBROWNS.COM

Finds end zone Higgins caught three of five targets for 29 yards and a seven-yard touchdown pass in Sunday's 47-42 loss to the Chargers.

Impact After barely playing (four snaps) in a Week 1 loss to the Chiefs, Higgins has been a regular in the wideout rotation since, suggesting that a hamstring injury leading up to the season opener was the reason for limited playing time against Kansas City. Sunday's touchdown catch was his first of the season and the first that any Cleveland wide receiver has scored thus far in 2021. Quarterback Baker Mayfield has thrown just four touchdowns through five games.

OCTOBER 11, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Browns left searching for answers after squandering lead

The Cleveland Browns have twice built double-digit leads on the road against quality teams this season

OCTOBER 11, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Watch Baker Mayfield throw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Rashard Higgins in the second quarter vs. the Chargers Rashard Higgins caught a seven-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter vs. the Chargers on Sunday.

OCTOBER 10, 2021 • CLEVELAND.COM

Baker Mayfield tosses quick strike TD to Rashard Higgins Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield tosses quick strike TD to wide receiver Rashard Higgins.

OCTOBER 10, 2021 • CLEVELANDBROWNS.COM

FANTASY PLAYS: Players to start and sit for NFL Week 5

The Carolina Panthers’ defense started the season hot, but were a little less scary last week against Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys

OCTOBER 7, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Paces pass catchers in Week 4 win Higgins brought in four of seven targets for 63 yards in the Browns' 14-7 win over the Vikings on Sunday.

Impact Higgins drew even with Odell Beckham for the team lead in targets while pacing the Browns in both receptions and receiving yards on a lackluster day for the passing game overall. The veteran slot man has done a serviceable job filling in for Jarvis Landry (IR-knee) as the de facto No. 2 receiver over the last two games, posting a 6-87 line on nine targets in the pair of contests. Higgins still projects for modest fantasy value on a week-to-week basis in the run-heavy Browns attack, but he'll look to continue contributing in a Week 5 road matchup against the Chargers.

OCTOBER 3, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Helps fill in for Landry Higgins caught two of two targets for 24 yards in Sunday's 26-6 win over Chicago.

Impact Higgins saw a healthy number of snaps for the second straight week following the season-opening win in which he played just four snaps. With Jarvis Landry (knee) sidelined, it was up to Higgins and Donovan Peoples-Jones to pick up extra playing time and potential targets. The duo combined for four catches on four targets for 63 yards in what was a run-heavy attack (42 carries, 31 throws). Landry is on the injured list, so Higgins should be in line for reasonable usage the next two weeks at least. However, the Browns will continue to lean on running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, while Odell Beckham dominates the touches on the outside.

SEPTEMBER 27, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Will Rashard Higgins play a larger role with Jarvis Landry out? Hey, Mary Kay! Higgins has only two catches for 27 yards through two games.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2021 • CLEVELAND.COM

News & Notes: Rashard Higgins 'always ready' to step up Higgins is once again being thrust into a bigger role following the Week 2 injury to Jarvis Landry

SEPTEMBER 24, 2021 • CLEVELANDBROWNS.COM

Go route: Browns' Beckham to return Sunday against Bears

Odell Beckham Jr. has been cleared for takeoff

SEPTEMBER 24, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Why the Browns should utilize Rashard Higgins more while Jarvis Landry recovers from his MCL injury: Ellis L. Williams The Browns will be without wide receiver Jarvis Landry for at least three games after his move to injured reserve. It's time Kevin Stefanski...

SEPTEMBER 22, 2021 • CLEVELAND.COM