The 2019 NFL draft in the rear-view, but before you know it NFL fans will have fantasy football drafts to worry about. If you’re in a dynasty or keeper fantasy football league you might already be preparing for your rookie draft. Here’s an outlook for each rookie skill player for the Kansas City Chiefs and how they might perform during the 2019 season.
WR Mecole Hardman
Projected stats: 70 receptions, 650 receiving yards, six receiving touchdowns, 20 carries, 175 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown.
Outlook: Hardman is the Chiefs’ player you should prioritize earliest in your dynasty drafts. Don’t look at Hardman as a Tyreek Hill replacement, because you’ll be fooling yourself. Instead, look at him as a player the Chiefs will lean on early. They’ll be playing him all over the place, but I think his home will still be in the slot. I won’t be surprised to see them get him involved in jet action in the ground game as well. Chiefs receivers combined for over 30 carries in 2018. Also if your league includes kick return yardage and scoring, Hardman is a unique option that could contribute there as well.
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RB Darwin Thompson
Projected stats: 60 carries, 310 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, 15 receptions, 130 receiving yards and one touchdown.
Outlook: It’s not often that sixth-round picks come in and have more than a complementary role on offense during their first seasons. I think the Chiefs like Thompson quite a bit and will find a way to scheme him in on a few packages early in the season. Given the Chiefs’ history of injuries at the RB position, I expect Thompson will have an expanded role at some point later in the season. In 2020, Thompson could emerge as a top back in the Chiefs’ system.
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RB James Williams
Projected stats: 8 carries, 45 rushing yards, 10 receptions, 99 yards and one touchdown
Outlook: Williams has a lot of upside in the Chiefs’ offense because of his pass-catching abilities. I think it’s a reason that he’ll end up making the roster, which may mean carrying one less receiver or pushing a veteran RB like Carlos Hyde off the roster. I’m not sure that Williams gets much more than 20 touches in his first season, which means you probably shouldn’t prioritize him until later on in your dynasty drafts.
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WR Cody Thompson
Projected stats: 6 receptions and 35 yards.
Outlook: I think that Thompson makes the 53-man roster right out of the gate, which makes him a stronger undrafted free agent. I don’t expect him to have a big role on offense right away. The one thing that could change this outlook is if the Chiefs suffer an injury to one of their top guys like Sammy Watkins. That’d quickly bump Thompson up the food chain, but still he wouldn’t be the type of player to go after unless you’re in a deeper league.
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WR Jamal Custis
Outlook: Custis is a likely candidate to make the active roster given the Chiefs’ financial commitment. Still, I suspect his offensive role will be limited. He’s most likely looking at a special teams role right away on coverage units. However, he could have an impact late in the season if the Chiefs deal with injuries at the wide receiver position. It you’re in a deep league this might be a good option for you.
TE/FB John Lovett
Outlook: The Chiefs seem to really like Lovett quite a bit. He’s a former quarterback transitioning to a new position. He has a high ceiling given his athleticism, but his readiness is certainly in question. Draft Lovett with cautious optimism knowing that he could be quickly develop into a weapon for this team.
WR Felton Davis III
Outlook: Davis is still recovering from an Achilles injury suffered late in the season. I think the Chiefs are comfortable giving Davis time to get ready, which means we may not even see him this year. This could be a late round stash option that could make the team in 2020. It’s a boom or bust type selection that you could replace later on the waiver wire.
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