Sammy Watkins was just a part of a major deal between the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams last August. Now, Watkins is on the move again to Kansas City Chiefs after the Rams decided not to give him a franchise tag and allowed him to become an unrestricted free agent.
Can Sammy Watkins make a fantasy impact in Kansas City?
The Chiefs signed the fourth-year deep threat to a three-year deal for $48 million. We break down the fantasy impact.
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Watkins signed a four-year, $48 million dollar deal with the Chiefs Tuesday. Things look good for Watkins in Kansas City. He joins the Chiefs’ powerhouse core of fellow wideout Tyreek Hill, TE Travis Kelce, and rusher Kareem Hunt. He will also have the big arm of sophomore QB Patrick Mahomes under center next season.
Watkins is coming off of a disappointing 2017. He only caught 39 balls on 70 attempts for 593 yards. He did make some noise in the red zone, however, and led the Rams in touchdown receptions last year with eight scores. He was also, most importantly, healthy all season.
Fantasy impact: This trade makes a lot of sense on paper. Watkins could be the final missing piece in Kansas City to make their offense unstoppable. He is fast, big, and requires a lot of attention from defenses. However, those upsides may not transfer over to fantasy right away. Watkins is the fourth wheel in a loaded arsenal. Hill, Kelce, and Hunt are going to get the lion’s share of touches again next season. The 24-year-old could be looking at another slow start with another new team. Owners should not jump on Watkins too early this draft. He has great potential but he should linger on most fantasy boards until the seventh or eighth round.
