Tyreek Hill (Somehow) Avoids Suspension, Huge Fantasy Implications

The NFL is a joke, but Tyreek Hill's explosiveness and fantasy upside are not. Here's all the massive implications.

Despite fairly damning audio evidence, Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill somehow avoided avoided a suspension entirely. Although the NFL personal-conduct policy is mind-boggling (weed and suspected gameball air release are graver crimes?!), Hill’s explosiveness is not. The league’s most dangerous weapon, and 2018’s No.1 Fantasy WR, will now be available for a full season. The fantasy implications for Hill, and everyone around him, are massive.

Where to Draft Tyreek Hill now?

Last year’s top scoring WR, Hill is an absolute fantasy wrecking ball on the field. He’s the best deep-ball artist in the game, an impossible tackle in the open field, and can turn a small slant into a 90 yard TD in the blink of the eye. Simply put: no player is more capable of single-handedly winning you a game, and Hill rarely puts up complete duds. Playing alongside the game’s best young QB certainly doesn’t hurt, either.

As of now, Hill leaps right back to Round 1/2 consideration. He lands at 14 overall and WR5 on my latest 2019 Big Board and Rankingsright after Julio Jones and ahead of the Michael Thomas. Hill will once again threaten to pace WRs in fantasy points.

Mahomes Rising, Watkins Plummeting

1. Patrick Mahomes regains his own tier

Patrick Mahomes was already our QB1, regardless of Hill’s status. However, I had previously written Mahomes was “no longer in a tier alone” without his game-changing deep threat.

Now that he’ll have Hill at his disposal all year, Mahomes’ season-long ceiling is right back to “Cheat Code” status. In fact, Mahomes’ weapons cabinet may be even more stacked with burner Mecole Hardman added as a Hill insurance policy. The amount of speed this team can roll out wide between Hill, Hardman, and a healthy Sammy Watkins is downright unfair, especially considering Mahomes’ cannon arm. He rises 8 spots (41 overall) and is once again far above all other QBs.

2. Sammy Watkins’ ceiling is far more capped, and he falls hard

Whelp, my “Sammy Watkins offers Limitless, Top-Five Fantasy Football Upside” article was short lived. He goes back to his “third-at-best” position on the target totem pole, with even more competition for looks with Hardman now in the rotation.

Originally, Watkins’ awful health warts would have been easier to stomach, as the ceiling was astronomical if Hill was out for a substantial chunk of time. Now that Hill won’t miss a down, the reward is unlikely to be worth the risk here. He falls a brutal 46 spots down my Big Board, now at 88 overall.

3. Quick Hits

  • Mecole Hardman will undoubtedly make some splash plays in 2019, but his fantasy appeal is far lower. Without Hill, Hardman was looking at a potentially consistent target share in the league’s most explosive offense. Now, he’s likely to be far more effective real-life than fantasy. He takes a steep, -40 hit, going from one of my favorite Penny Stocks to one I’ll likely avoid.
  • Travis Kelce isn’t hurt much, if at all. Sure, he would’ve seen a slight bump in targets, but having Hill’s field-stretching presence is enormous for Kelce’s ability to roam free in the seams. Plus, the offense will be in the Red Zone even more often with Hill, where Kelce’s 6’7″ frame makes him most dangerous. Continue treating him like a first rounder.

Author

  • Founder of Roto Street Journal. Lover of workhorse backs, target hog wideouts, and Game of Thrones. Aspiring to be the "Brady" and "Leo" of the fantasy universe.

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