Jeremy Maclin avoided serious injury, but will he be able to recover in time for Saturday’s game?
Much like every other season, coaching changes are made throughout the NFL. On the last day of 2012, the Philadelphia Eagles cut ties with the longest tenured coach in their team’s history, Andy Reid. Immediately following his departure from Philadelphia, Reid joined the Kansas City Chiefs as their new head coach. In his first season with Kansas City, Reid inherited a talented roster, but at one position, was in dire need of an upgrade. The Chiefs struggled at wide receiver. They employed Dwayne Bowe, a former first-round draft pick, and others. Bowe turned out to be a bust, and Reid looked to a familiar place and a familiar face for a boost at the position.
After going over a full season without completing a touchdown pass to a wide receiver, the Chiefs released Bowe and replaced him with Jeremy Maclin during the 2015 offseason. Maclin was drafted by Reid back in 2009 when he was still the coach of the Eagles. Already familiar with Reid’s system, Maclin fit in well with his new team. In Week 3, Maclin went off against the Green Bay Packers hauling in eight targets for 141 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown was the first by a Chiefs’ wide receiver since 2013. Maclin finished the year with 87 receptions for 1,088 yards and eight trips to the end zone.
After losing star running back Jamaal Charles for the season and a horrific 1-5 record to start to the year, the Chiefs tore through their opponents and won 10 consecutive games, clinching a playoff berth in the process. Kansas City played on Wild Card Saturday against the Houston Texans. They won the game but lost a huge piece of their offense in the process. Maclin injured what was thought to be his knee in the third quarter of Kansas City’s blowout victory. He exited the game and did not return. Maclin finished the contest with three catches for 29 yards.
Maclin had an MRI on his right knee and ankle last Sunday. The MRI confirmed a high-ankle sprain and luckily for Maclin, cleared him of an ACL tear, an injury which he suffered twice before. Maclin missed practice all week up until Thursday, where he participated in individual work, but missed the team portion according to team reporter BJ Kissel. Maclin’s playing status for Saturday is up in the air as he’s considered a game-time decision.
If Maclin plays, he will face a Patriots’ defense that finished the regular season ranked sixth in fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers giving up an average of 24.8 points per game. Maclin is a bargain in DFS games. He has a $7,000 price tag on FanDuel, which is a steal for a team’s No. 1 receiving threat in a contest that could be a high-scoring affair, especially if the Chiefs fall behind.
The question arises if Maclin does indeed sit out, who will step up in this win-or-go-home contest?
Chris Conley will likely step into Maclin’s role in the offense. In last week’s Wild Card win over Houston, Conley caught his only target for a 9-yard touchdown a few plays after Maclin’s injury and exit. Conley didn’t produce much in the regular season but has the opportunity for a breakout performance in this matchup. On the side is Albert Wilson. Wilson had a very pedestrian 2015 season and is not a viable DFS option with or without Maclin in the lineup.
The Chiefs do, however, possess another weapon on their roster to place in Alex Smith’s arsenal that comes in the form of Travis Kelce. Kelce is one of the premier tight ends in the NFL whose value skyrockets if Maclin doesn’t play. Kelce played a huge role in last weekend’s victory catching 8-of-10 targets for 128 yards. On FanDuel, Kelce is tagged with a value of $6,600, $1,700 below Rob Gronkowski’s $8,300.
While Kelce looks like a wise choice, beware of the matchup at hand. The Patriots fare much better versus the tight end than they do against wide receivers. New England finished 2015 ranked 29th in points allowed to opposing tight ends giving up an average of 6.1 points per game. In his only appearance facing the Patriots, Kelce caught eight targets for 93 yards and a touchdown back in the 2014 regular season.
This Divisional Round contest between Kansas City and New England could be filled with fantasy production on both ends, but the Chiefs have more upside because of their players’ values in DFS games. This matchup favors the wide receivers for the Chiefs. Conley could be a hidden gem, especially with his low $4,800 price and high ceiling against a young and vulnerable Patriot secondary.
Anthony Cervino is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Anthony check out his archive or follow him on Twitter @theRealNFLguru.
