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Should I Draft Justin Watson? Fantasy Football Outlook of the Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver with the injury to Travis Kelce to start off the 2023 season.
Two days before the Kansas City Chiefs' season opener against the Detroit Lions, the reigning Super Bowl champions suffered a massive setback. Star tight end Travis Kelce hyperextended his knee during practice, and his status for Week 1 is up in the air.
The Chiefs don't have any other big stars on their offense apart from Kelce to help Mahomes, but in the absence of the 33-year-old tight end, wide receiver Justin Watson could step up and make a notable contribution.
Watson, who started his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a fifth-round pick in 2018, is heading into his second season with the Chiefs. Many fantasy football players have wondered whether he will be a good pick this year, and in this article, we will discuss it.
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Is Justin Watson Worth Drafting?
Last season, Watson played 17 games in which he had 15 receptions for 315 yards and two touchdowns. Over the course of his career, he has played 57 games, in which he has had 38 receptions on 78 targets for just four touchdowns. Although he can play the role of a big deep threat for any team, Watson has failed to find a big role yet in his NFL career.
He ran a 4.44-second 40-yard dash at the combine, and his explosiveness was seen multiple times last season. His skills make him a dangerous player alongside Patrick Mahomes, but if you are thinking of drafting him, it might be a gamble.
In most of the drafts, he will go undrafted and can later be picked via the waiver wire. It's unlikely that he will play a big role for the Super Bowl champions this season due to the amount of talent they have on their roster.
Chiefs Have A Deep WR Room In 2023
Although Kelce might miss some games, Chiefs fans should not be worried, as they have seven wide receivers on their 53-man roster. Apart from Justin Watson, the likes of Kadarius Toney, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore, Richie James, Rashee Rice, and Justyn Ross are ready to help their quarterback.
Due to their deep WR room, the decision to pick Watson on your fantasy football team might not result in benefits. While Toney, Moore, and Valdes-Scantling will lead the pack, it's expected that Ross will eventually become one of the go-to guys for Mahomes this season.
Last season, we saw that Mahomes wasn't force-feeding any of his receivers, which is why expecting Watson to come up big for your fantasy football team could be wrong. There is no doubt that every now and then he will make a flashy play and might score a couple of touchdowns as well, but for the entire season, he might not provide enough production like the other late-round receivers.
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