Fantasy Football Player Notes

My Skyy Moore love fell on its face last year as Andy Reid stuck him in a limited role for the 2022 season. Moore didn't log a single game in the regular season with 50% or higher snaps. While consensus would love the label Moore as a terrible player, that isn't true. Last year among 115 wide receivers with at least 30 targets (per PFF), Moore ranked 50th in receiving grade, 49th in yards per route run, and sixth in YAC per reception. Outside of his YAC numbers, I understand that the other metrics aren't eye-popping, but they are nowhere near wretched. With increased playing time in his second season, Moore can still capture the high-end ceiling I hoped for last year tied to Patrick Mahomes. Take him late in drafts as a stash, and hold on your bench. If Moore hits this year, he could be one of the best values in fantasy.

Kadarius Toney could be an elite fantasy option if he can ever secure a full-time role and stay injury free. Toney was an efficiency darling in his rookie season, ranking seventh in target per route run rate and 17th in yards per route run. Those beautiful metrics carried over into 2022, with Toney garnering a 28.6% target per route run rate and 2.44 yards per route run. Toney only eclipsed 40% of the snaps once last year with the Chiefs. He then got dinged up and returned to 30-32% snap shares in Weeks 16-18. Even in the playoffs, he couldn't surpass 29% of the team's snaps in any game. If his stars align, Toney is a WR4 that could evolve into a weekly WR2.

He is a talented rookie wide receiver drafted in the second round of the NFL Draft and now finds himself tied to Patrick Mahomes. Where have I heard this before? Oh, that's right. Skyy Moore stole my heart last year, only to be limited weekly by Andy Reid. Just because I (and many others) were burned last year doesn't mean I'm shying away from Rice. That worry and recency bias will keep many from pressing the button when on the clock in fantasy drafts. His risk will likely be baked into his ADP, so the worries should be factored in. Rice is a zone coverage destroyer who could take over for Chief Juju Smith-Schuster's role in this offense. He has experience playing both the perimeter and slot extensively. Last year he ranked first in PFF receiving grade against zone and third in yards per route run against the coverage type (minimum 20 zone targets per PFF). Rice produced a 64th percentile college dominator and 96th percentile collegiate target share at SMU. If Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore aren't up to operating as Mahomes' number two target, don't rule out Rice to seize the opportunity.