Higbee's return in Week 18 didn't stop Parkinson from starting all three playoff games.

Tyler Higbee's absence directly enabled Parkinson's breakout. Parkinson had the best season of his career in 2025 after taking advantage of Higbee being out of the lineup. From Weeks 12-17 when Higbee was sidelined, Parkinson posted 24 receptions on 32 targets for 249 yards and four touchdowns, compared to 15 receptions on 17 targets for 123 yards and two touchdowns in Weeks 1-11 with Higbee in the lineup. Despite Higbee returning in the regular season finale against Arizona, Parkinson started all three playoff games while Higbee had four receptions on six targets for 84 yards and no scores, indicating a potential depth chart shift heading into 2026.