Fantasy Football Player Notes

Tyreek Hill has been a very good fantasy asset to have over the last three years. However, he's not someone you want to trust with consistency. For instance, he's posted WR2 or better numbers in just 21-of-43 games over that time. Those numbers pale in comparison to guys like Thomas, Adams, Jones, and Hopkins.

It's now been four straight seasons where Kelce has finished with 1,000-plus yards. He's as safe as they come and should still be in the prime of his career at 30 years old. Patrick Mahomes took a step back in terms of touchdown percentage in 2019, but could very well bounce back to elite levels in 2020, giving Kelce consideration as a second-round pick in fantasy drafts. If you have "your guys" in the middle rounds, Kelce makes sense as an early-round pick. He's now posted TE1-type numbers in 28-of-32 games over the last two years. It also helps when you see 41.4 percent of your team's targets inside the 10-yard line, like Kelce did in 2019.

Mahomes dropped off considerably last year as most expected but was still the #4 fantasy QB in terms of points per game despite being slowed by the injury. He is so talented with such great weapons that QB #4 seems to be his floor unless he suffers another injury. With that said, there is so much QB value to be found later in drafts, that it is almost wild to consider him at his late-second ADP.

I had Edwards-Helaire as my top running back in this year's class due to the way he fits the NFL today. He's a true three-down back who can catch 80-plus passes out of the backfield, while running for 1,000-plus yards. Landing with the Chiefs was a dream scenario, especially in the first round. Over the last seven years, running backs who've been drafted in the first round have averaged 280.7 touches in year one. 75 percent of them have finished as an RB2 or better. Don't think this is Darwin Thompson all over again, as he was a sixth-round pick last year, and those average just 29.8 touches in year one. This is Edwards-Helaire's backfield after Andy Reid said he's better than Brian Westbrook on film. You don't take those players off the field very often. He's worth a second-round pick and would be a steal in the third round.

There are some who aren't convinced Williams' value is completely gone, but rest assured, it is. In the entire 21 years, there has been just one running back drafted in the first round under Andy Reid: Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Reid said that Edwards-Helaire is better than Brian Westbrook on film, and Patrick Mahomes pulled for them to draft Edwards-Helaire. They're going to use him as much as they can, which means Williams is going to be there to offer a breather from time-to-time. He's an elite handcuff, but that's about it.

Did you know that among wide receivers who've seen at least 30 targets, Mecole Hardman's 13.1 yards per target ranks as the third-highest mark among wide receivers over the last 10 years? His 2.77 PPR points per target ranked as the fourth-best mark in that time. He's good, we know that, but will he get the targets necessary to start him confidently? He's one of those players who can certainly take the leap into the top-30 receivers if he gets the opportunity, which is rare to find in the late rounds.

You can say what you want about Watkins being an overall disappointment but when he was actually healthy, Watkins was a top 10 fantasy wideout through 8 games and was the Chiefs' top receiver in the playoffs. The former top-five pick has tons of upside for a late-round wideout because of his ability but also the presence of Patrick Mahomes. At this point in Watkins' career, you don't have to invest much to buy the lottery ticket.

Butker led the NFL in field-goal attempts and conversions last year, and the Chiefs are nearly always among the league leaders in field-goal attempts. Wait on kicker, obviously, but Butker will be one of the, if not the single, best yet again.

After being the primary backup with the Raiders for the past four years, Washington signed with the Chiefs this offseason. Although the Kansas City offense offers incredibly opportunities for running backs, it's nearly impossible to envision a scenario where Washington is the beneficiary. The Chiefs spent a first-round pick on Clyde Edwards-Helaire, still have Damien Williams, and continue to roster Darwin Thompson and Darrel Williams. There's next to no chance that Washington is worth rostering this season so long as he remains with the Chiefs.

Remember when Thompson had an incredible preseason and everyone wanted to draft him as the potential starter in this backfield? One year and 46 touches later, no one is drafting the second-year running back. He'd need multiple injuries to find his way into fantasy relevance, as both Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Damien Williams are well ahead of him on the depth chart.

Despite playing in one of the best offenses in football, Robinson has one little from a fantasy perspective. He set or tied career-highs last year with 55 targets, 32 receptions, 449 receiving yards, and four touchdowns, but it will take far more than that for him to get on the fantasy radar. Behind Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, and Mecole Hardman, Robinson needs injuries to one or more of the other receivers to have any relevancy.