Chiefs WRs JuJu Smith-Schuster (concussion), Marquez Valdes-Scantling (illness) and Mecole Hardman (abdomen, illness) missed Wednesday's practice. Valdes-Scantling should be fine for Sunday night's game vs. the Chargers, but Smith-Schuster and Hardman are iffy. Their absences would likely mean a significant role for WR Kadarius Toney.
The Chiefs acquired WR Kadarius Toney from the Giants in exchange for a 2023 3rd-round compensatory pick and a 2023 6th-round pick. Injuries have limited Toney to just 12 games over his first 1-and-a-half NFL seasons, including only 2 this year. But he's flashed exciting route-running and after-the-catch ability when on the field. This is about the best-case scenario for his fantasy value, which seemed almost non-existent in New York. We'll see when Toney is able to get on the field after missing the past 5 weeks with hamstring trouble -- and then how he fits in alongside WRs JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Mecole Hardman. But if he can find playing time with QB Patrick Mahomes, Toney could quickly emerge as a fantasy factor. He's worth grabbing now in leagues where he was dropped.
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes threw for 423 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT in Sunday's win at San Francisco. WR JuJu Smith-Schuster and TE Travis Kelce tied for the target lead with 8. Smith-Schuster racked up a 7-124-1 receiving line, his 2nd straight game with more than 100 yards and a TD. Kelce supplied 98 yards on 6 catches. WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling caught 3 of 4 targets for 111 yards. Mahomes' other 2 scores went to WR Mecole Hardman (on a shovel pass) and WR Justin Watson. K.C. gets a Week 8 bye and then home dates with the Titans and Jaguars.
Chiefs WR JuJu Smith-Schuster delivered 113 yards and a TD on 5 catches in Sunday's loss to the Bills. He caught all 5 targets, with the biggest strike a 42-yard catch-and-run TD. TE Travis Kelce doubled Smith-Schuster's targets (10) and finished with 8 catches for 108 yards. WR Mecole Hardman checked in 3rd on the team with 4 targets, catching 3 for 42 yards and the Chiefs' other TD. WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling went catch-less on 3 targets. He did nearly score on a reception that got wiped out by an ineligible-man-downfield penalty. Valdes-Scantling also had an end-zone target intercepted later on the same drive. Rookie WR Skyy Moore matched MVS' 3 targets, catching 1 for 24 yards.
Chiefs TE Travis Kelce caught 7 balls for just 25 yards in Monday night's win over the Raiders but caught all 4 of QB Patrick Mahomes' TD passes. Kelce nabbed scores of 1, 4, 8 and 1 yards, while tying for the team target lead with 8. Marquez Valdes-Scantling joined him, catching 6 of 8 targets for 90 yards. JuJu Smith-Schuster matched the duo in looks but caught only 3 for 33 yards.
Chiefs WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (abdomen) is active for tonight’s game vs. the Bucs. He got in just 2 limited practices this week and probably won’t be at 100% tonight. MVS isn’t a recommended Week 4 fantasy play.
Chiefs WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (abdomen) "plans to play" vs. the Bucs tonight, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. We'd try not to use MVS in season-long fantasy lineups at less than 100%.
Chiefs WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (abdomen) is questionable for Sunday night’s game vs. the Bucs. He was limited on Wednesday and Friday, sitting out Thursday’s practice. MVS isn’t a recommended Week 4 fantasy play at less than 100%. His absence would free up snaps for WRs Skyy Moore and/or Justin Watson.
Chiefs WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (abdomen) went from a limited practice on Wednesday to no practice on Thursday. So his availability for Sunday night's game vs. the Bucs is now in question. Check back tomorrow for another update.
Chiefs WR JuJu Smith-Schuster tied Travis Kelce for the target lead (8) in Sunday's loss to the Colts, tied Clyde Edwards-Helaire for the reception lead (5) and paced the team with 89 receiving yards. He remained close to Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Mecole Hardman in routes: 35 for MVS, 33 for Smith-Schuster and 28 for Hardman. Valdes-Scantling drew 7 targets for the 2nd straight game, while Hardman garnered just 1. QB Patrick Mahomes spread his attempts around less than in the Week 2 win over the Chargers. With Hardman back healthy -- he was in and out of the Week 2 contest -- WR Justin Watson played just 10 snaps; Skyy Moore 8.
Chiefs TE Travis Kelce edged WR JuJu Smith-Schuster for the Week 1 target lead, 9-8, with WR Mecole Hardman checking in 3rd (with 6). It was WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, though, playing more snaps than any offensive skill player besides Patrick Mahomes. MVS edged Smith-Schuster by 1 route and Kielce by 2, according to Pro Football Focus. Hardman checked in 4th in that category, with the rest of the team far behind. Valdes-Scantling might well remain behind Kelce and Smith-Schuster in target distribution. But his 5.5-yard Week 1 average depth of target suggests he won't merely be the downfield player he was in Green Bay. (MVS' ADOTs with the Packers went 13.8, 16.6, 18.2, 18.2.) Keep MVS in mind more than you would most WRs who open the year with 4 targets and 2 other significant receiving threats in the lineup.
The Athletic's Nate Taylor believes Mecole Hardman will open the season as the Chiefs' #2 WR -- behind JuJu Smith-Schuster but ahead of Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Skyy Moore. "Because he’s the fastest in the group and has been in the Chiefs’ system the longest," Taylor writes. We'll be keeping a close eye on the route and target counts in this group early in the season. But Smith-Schuster will be the only reliable Week 1 fantasy starter.
Chiefs WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling told reporters Monday that he's cleared the concussion protocol. MVS missed the preseason finale, but this is the first we've heard of a concussion. It's his first documented head injury. Barring a setback, Valdes-Scantling will be ready for Week 1. He's set to open the season as 1 of Kansas City's top 2 WRs, alongside JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Chiefs starters played 1 possession in Saturday's preseason opener against the Bears. JuJu Smith-Schuster led the WRs with 11 snaps, followed by Marquez Valdes-Scantling (9), Mecole Hardman (4) and Justin Watson (1), according to Pro Football Focus. Skyy Moore did not get onto the field with that unit. We'll see how that usage pattern develops through the preseason.
Beat writer Nate Taylor called Marquez Valdes-Scantling the best-performing WR of Kansas City’s offseason program. Taylor writes that MVS “offers a combination of speed and size that [Patrick] Mahomes has never had before.” The former Packer is currently a value pick in Round 12 of FFPC best ball drafts. Surprisingly, he’s going ~1.5 rounds behind rookie WR Skyy Moore.
Per NFL insider Albert Breer, the Chiefs have seen a “more mature version” of WR Mecole Hardman this offseason. Breer writes that Hardman “had a lot of growing up to do coming into the NFL,” even beyond his rookie season. It’s a huge year for the 24-year-old, as his contract is set to expire in 2023. But following the additions of Skyy Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and JuJu Smith-Schuster, it’s clear that Kansas City isn’t expecting a major leap from the incumbent.
Pete Sweeney of Arrowhead Pride says that his "way too early" picks to lead the Chiefs in receiving yardage this year are TE Travis Kelce and WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling. This is likely based primarily on watching minicamp practices to date. It's worth noting that Skyy Moore and Mecole Hardman have missed some time with hamstring issues, though both have been on the field this week for mandatory minicamp. We'll keep watching for reports on expected target distribution within Kansas City's rebuilt WR corps. Sweeney also said last week that "no new Chiefs pass-catcher looks more comfortable with Mahomes" than MVS.
According to Nate Taylor of The Athletic, there is an "already strong connection that is growing between [Patrick] Mahomes and [Marquez] Valdes-Scantling." The wideout, of course, signed a 3-year deal with Kansas City this offseason that's basically a 2-year pact with an option for Year 3. He's competing with fellow free-agent addition JuJu Smith-Schuster and rookie Skyy Moore for roles in the wake of Tyreek Hill's trade to Miami. HC Andy Reid seems to like what he's seeing so far: “He’s a big kid, but he’s got really good flexibility. He can change directions and he’s got that speed, which we all knew he had. He’s able to work some of the primary underneath routes that he maybe didn’t do quite as much in Green Bay because of who they had there. I’ve been pleased with how he goes about his business. He’s doing a nice job.” The shorter routes could be key. MVS was almost strictly a downfield operator in Green Bay, consistently ranking among the league leaders in average depth of target. If he can add more short-to-mid range looks, though, Valdes-Scantling could draw more consistent targets and become easier to insert into weekly fantasy lineups. We'll keep watching this situation. He's at least intriguing as the 3rd Kansas City WR in ADP on both Underdog and FFPC.
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