Bengals’ WR Tee Higgins was forced out of Sunday night’s primetime matchup against the Ravens due to his sprained left ankle.
The injury was announced early in the second half, but by that point it was clear Higgins wasn’t going to be on the field consistently as he spent the majority of the first half on the sideline, playing in just 10 snaps where he wasn’t targeted once. After the game, Higgins said he exited in the first half as a precaution and his ankle felt fine.
Given that Higgins managed to practice last week in a limited fashion, it would be safe to assume that trend continues this week. The ankle is a network of bones, joints, ligaments, and muscles that allow the foot to move up and down. Ankle sprains involve damage to the ligaments, ranging from stretching to full tears. When sprained, the ankle’s mobility is limited, meaning players like Higgins can’t jump, cut, or sprint like they’re used to.
Our algorithm predicts Higgins is dealing with a Grade 1 sprain, which indicates there shouldn’t be any tearing. That being said, his Injury Risk is still High (29%) and his Health Performance Factor is Below Average (47%). Higgins is now 4 days away from Optimal Recovery.
If he did, in fact, leave Sunday’s game as a precaution and not because the sprain was aggravated, he should suit up in Week 6 and be back to pre-injury levels against the Saints.