Why would you bring up OBJ's first two years in the NFL? It's his eighth year in the NFL. How he started his career is totally irrelevant to the player he is today. Let's take a look at actual production this year:
Tee Higgins - 2021
17 games
133 targets
88 receptions
66.2%
1300 receiving yards
14.8 YPC
9.8 YPT
6 receiving TDs
OBJ - 2021
17 games
105 targets
63 receptions
60.0%
773 receiving yards
12.3 YPC
7.4 YPT
6 receiving TDs
OBJ - 2021 with the Rams only
11 games
71 targets (Per 17: 110 targets)
46 receptions (Per 17: 71 receptions)
64.8%
541 receiving yards (Per 17: 836 receiving yards)
11.8 YPC
7.6 YPA
6 receiving TDs (Per 17: 9 receiving TDs)
In terms of production, it's not even a contest this year.
The reason you compare OBJ's first 2 years for comparison sake is Higgens has only played two years.
When we take Baker Mayfield out of the equation OBJ's Trumps Higgens and it isn't close.
Two years in the league and Higgens can't eclipse 6 TD a year. OBJ avergaged 12 a year in that same span. Doubling the output of Higgens.
OBJ was a three time Pro bowler before his career went off the rails for various reasons. Tee higgens hasnt sniffed the pro bowl. His numbers don't in any way compete with the elite WR's in the league.
You can't project OBJ's 2021 stats to make a case when he didnt have any training camp or know the playbook fully. But even when you do he Trumps Higgens full year stats. I mean 6 TD's in 11 games with no training camp and learning on the fly compared to a guy who had 6 TD over 17 games.
The one arguement I will concede is that OBJ's down years were real bad. So he is more of a wildcard in terms of consistency. But the upside of Higgens is not in the same universe as OBJ. 35 TD over a 3 year span compared to Higgens 12 over two. LOL.