Fantasy Upside
Tyreek Hill was perhaps the most intriguing rookie from fantasy out of last year’s class. The do-it-all player scored on the ground, through the air, and in the return game. He finished with 860 scrimmage yards and 9 offensive touchdowns in 16 games. While he played all season long, his duties didn’t really increase until mid-season, as he averaged 71 total yards in his final 10 regular season games.
He should have an increased role this year as well, not only because he’s proved himself as a weapon, but because the Chiefs released Jeremy Maclin. The veteran wideout’s departure opens a door for Hill, which is essentially what coach Andy Reid confirmed. When asked about Hill’s average of 26 snaps on offense, Reid said he could potentially double that number.
Fantasy Downside
Even though Reid claims he’ll increase Hill’s load, fantasy owners from last year know how that wasn’t the case a lot of weeks. In Weeks 15 and 16, Hill didn’t have a single catch (although he did score on the ground in both games). Throughout the season, Hill had just seven games with more than 5 targets. He did a lot with those touches as he was very touchdown-dependent most weeks.
Although Hill will be the top receiver in this offense, his body size doesn’t really lend itself to being an outside option. He won’t out-muscle any defender and will have to rely mostly on his speed.
2017 Bottom Line
If Reid stays true to his word and uses Hill more often in 2017, then the speedy receiver has a really high ceiling for this year. He’s a threat to score on every play due to his speed, and the more chances he has, the more likely he is to find the end zone. Hill carries a bit of risk, but he’s an exciting prospect. He should be a strong fantasy WR2 this season.
