NFL Free Agency and Fantasy Football Impact: Patriots Sign JuJu Smith-Schuster

The former Chiefs and Steelers playmaker has found a new team in the AFC.

The Patriots have signed JuJu Smith-Schuster to a three-year, $33 million contract. Strangely, the team lost Jakobi Meyers to the Raiders in a similar deal (which Meyers tweeted about). Regardless, Smith-Schuster is now looking like the de facto No. 1 fantasy wide receiver for New England's passing game.

The USC product is coming off a season that saw him finish as the WR27, posting 78 receptions for 933 yards and three touchdowns. When you consider that he was catching passes from Patrick Mahomes, however, those totals are unimpressive.

The good news is that Smith-Schuster is still just 26 years old, and he’s shown the ability to be productive in the past. He averaged more than 14 fantasy points three different times in his career, including a 2018 campaign in Pittsburgh where he put up 11 catches, more than 1,400 yards and an average of 18.6 points a game.

The Patriots might not be done adding wideouts, but for now I’d rank JuJu as a No. 3 fantasy receiver who’ll be worth a middle-round selection in most 2023 drafts.

In Kansas City, the Chiefs are now thin at wide receiver. With Smith-Schuster gone and Mecole Hardman also a free agent, they’re in the market at the position. Who knows, maybe a trade for DeAndre Hopkins is in the cards? We’ll find out. But for now, you can move Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore up in your rankings.