2023: Wide Receivers

[onejayhawk]

There are multiple threads about the roster, rookies, and player development. However, each is general to the offense, defense, special teams, or the team as a whole. More is being said and posted about the WR than any other unit, almost as much as the rest combined. Therefore, a dedicated thread. Below is a small sampling of articles that cover or at least spend time on the WR room.

First up because of all the attention, DeAndre Hopkins. Not happening and that is all I have to say

To lay things out, this is how I see things. The first five are near locks. The speculation starts with James and the two Rosses.

• MVS - The only given for good and bad. He is a viable deep threat but he has never shown the versatility needed for a lead WR
• Kadarius Toney - The presumed WR1 even though his health has never been reliable
• Skyy Moore - The talented second-year player is plan B. I expect him to return punts
• Rashee Rice - It already seems clear that RR will have a quicker transition to the NFL than Skyy. He's well-suited for the middle routes that JuJu ran and he has a very good catch radius
• Justin Watson - The unsung hero of 2022. He was third on the team in snaps and was the primary blocking WR
• Richie James - This is a classic overachiever who makes plays and does the little stuff, including ST.
• Justyn Ross - The hype is pretty intense for good reason. If Justyn does not make the 53-man roster, consider him gone because he will not pass waivers. The foot and back issues have not made an appearance and talent oozes out. He owns easily the best hands the Chiefs have had in a long while, possibly since the recently passed Otis Taylor
• John Ross - Tyreek Hill level speed but not the same toughness. He could make the team as a return man
•  Multiple other players with ST ability

https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2023/6/1/23745820/chiefs-wide-receivers-skyy-moore-rashee-rice-and-justyn-ross
https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/2023/06/02/kansas-city-chiefs-connor-embree-rashee-rice-progress-report/
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2023/6/1/23745866/chiefs-matt-nagy-kadarius-toney-top-receiver
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2023/6/1/23745677/chiefs-wide-receivers-clyde-edwards-helaire-otas
https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/06/01/andy-reid-justyn-ross-is-coming-along-patrick-mahomes-has-trust-in-him/
https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/2023/06/16/kansas-city-chiefs-patrick-mahomes-wide-receiver-room-improvement-competition-skyy-moore-kadarius-toney/

Edited June 16, 2023 by onejayhawk

[onejayhawk]

This one is significant. PFF is hardly the perfect source but they are at least reliably based on analytics. So, when PFF puts the Chiefs' receiver group at #11, it means something.
https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-2023-nfl-receiving-corps-rankings

Over the last three seasons, only one player has earned a higher receiving grade than Travis Kelce’s 93.7, and that player is Davante Adams.

The Chiefs' receiver room beyond Kelce might look unproven, but a healthy Kadarius Toney is a game-changing player, Skyy Moore is poised to take the next step forward and Marquez Valdes-Scantling can be a solid deep threat. Throw in what Jerick McKinnon can give you out of the backfield, and I’m betting on that group.

If you want more, this article follows up on the basic rankings.
https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/pff_ranks_chiefs_receiving_corps_just_outside_of_top_10_in_nfl/s1_16631_38933229

 

[onejayhawk]

 

[onejayhawk]

Players are reporting to camp, so interest is ratcheting up. Here are a couple of articles on the WR group.
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2023/7/17/23796138/chiefs-biggest-questions-kadarius-toney-offensive-load
https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/wide_receiver_is_chiefs_biggest_question_mark_for_camp/s1_16631_39027278

To me, there are three pressing questions:

How much load can Kadarius Toney take (see 1st article)?
Who gets snaps after KD and MVS?
How many WR will the Chiefs keep? 

[Chiefs_5627]

Welp 

 

 

[onejayhawk]

9 minutes ago, Chiefs_5627 said:

Welp 

 

 

He was not gong to make the team. He might not have made the first cut. 

Ross was the player taken directly before Pat Mahomes.

[kingseanjohn]

2 hours ago, onejayhawk said:

He was not gong to make the team. He might not have made the first cut. 

There's only one cut this year, August 29th.

[Chiefs_5627]

 😳 

 

[onejayhawk]

On 7/30/2023 at 1:13 AM, Chiefs_5627 said:

 😳 

That may become Justyn's trademark as much as Tyreek's V.

Last spring there were comments made here that anyone who was counting on Justyn Ross was delusional. That is no longer the case. He has clearly worked his way into the conversation.

Have we considered Justyn is a Y and Skyy is a double Y? There ought to be something we can do with that factoid.

WR and CB are the talk of Week #1. 
https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/lists/kansas-city-chiefs-5-standouts-first-week-training-camp-justyn-ross-joshua-williams-rashee-rice-trent-mcduffie-deneric-prince/
https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/patrick_mahomes_has_new_favorite_target_in_training_camp/s1_127_39075736
https://www.arrowheadpride.com/2023/7/30/23813243/chiefs-training-camp-andy-reid-justin-watson

He may be a day #3 pick and just a second year player but Joshua Williams has been there and seen that. He had this to say.
https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/2023/07/31/kansas-city-chiefs-joshua-williams-feels-kansas-city-receivers-slept-on-dudes/

I think all of the receivers, like, as a whole, they’re a great group. There’s a lot of talented guys. A lot of slept-on dudes, and you can see it, you know, in our seminar sessions, one on ones, they’re skillful, like, everybody has their own little, you know, craft, everybody has their own gift that they’re good at, and they’re working. They’re making us better; we’re making them better. And I’m really excited to see what they can do this season.

Edited July 31, 2023 by onejayhawk