CINCINNATI – One of the Bengals’ best wide receivers is hoping to make his season debut.

Cincinnati wide receiver Tee Higgins said he plans to play against the Washington Commanders on “Monday Night Football.” Higgins, who missed the first two games with a hamstring injury, said he feels 100% healthy and should be able to play at full strength.

“I feel great,” Higgins said after training on Friday. “Obviously I was unlucky with the injury and had to sit out the first two weeks, but now I’m finally ready to get my footing and get going this season.”

Higgins felt good during warmups before last week’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs, but he wanted to be cautious so he could perform at his full capacity every time he stepped on the field.

Bengals coach Zac Taylor confirmed that Higgins will play and said after practice Saturday morning that Higgins had a good week.

Higgins has been limited in practice this week, including Friday’s practice, but the fifth-year wide receiver said preparation for Washington (1-1) has gone well and he’s gotten enough plays to feel good and ready for the prime-time appearance.

Higgins, who has amassed over 1,000 receiving yards in two of his four NFL seasons, had a solid training camp before suffering the hamstring injury on Sept. 5, just days before the season opener against the New England Patriots.

Last week, Higgins told ESPN that after further examination, the injury was worse than first feared. He stuck to that statement on Friday, adding that it was a disappointing turn of events as this had been such a key point for him ahead of the start of the season.

“That’s why I was so disappointed that it happened, because I was focused on it not happening during the offseason and then it happened. But now I’m back, so it’s cool,” Higgins said.

Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is among those excited that Higgins could be back on Monday. Chase is looking forward to getting less attention from opposing defenses. Chase is often double-covered, as he was against Kansas City, when he had four catches on five attempts for 35 yards in the loss.

Chase hopes Higgins will give the Bengals a much-needed boost after they entered the game 0-2 for the fifth time in the last six seasons and are now seeking their first win of the season.

“I think we need a win to just get under our belt so we can relax and win at home,” Chase said. “I think that’s another good thing that will do us good. And finally having a complete offense as a unit again, that would be good for us, I think.”

Higgins and the Bengals have been unable to agree on a long-term contract extension over the past two seasons, and Cincinnati has given him the one-year franchise tag for this year, making him a free agent at the end of the season.

He said he doesn’t place any particular emphasis on having a successful season that could lead to unexpected financial gains.

“That’s not how I see it,” Higgins said when asked about the situation. “I just have to go out there, be myself and play my game and the rest will take care of itself.”