Mecole Hardman traded back to Chiefs for new era of frustrating fantasy owners

The Kansas City Chiefs have watched their wide receiver room degrade over the past two years. First Tyreek Hill left, replaced by JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Then Smith-Schuster left for the salted earth pastures of New England before the 2023 campaign.

That leaves the wideout depth chart askew with some combination of Rashee Rice, Skyy Moore, Justin Watson and Kadarius Toney — and now, after a Week 7 trade, a returning Mecole Hardman.

Patrick Mahomes will reunite with the former second round pick who’d spent the first four seasons of his career in Kansas City. The Chiefs swapped late round picks to free a player who’d been buried in the New York Jets’ depth chart to the tune of just 28 offensive snaps and a single reception through six games.

He’ll have more utility in Missouri, where he was named a second-team All-Pro as a rookie based on his special teams play. Unfortunately, he probably won’t bring more than a few gadget plays and big gains amidst a sea of wasted routes if his prior four seasons are any indication.

Hardman was perpetually more potential than production as a Chief. He averaged more than 20 yards per catch as a rookie, but his route tree changed as he developed, leading to shorter targets and a place firmly in the team’s supporting cast rather than a starring role.

With Hill gone in 2022 he was in position to boost his credentials as a big play threat. Instead, his per-game production actually decreased from career highs of 3.5 catches and 41 yards per game in 2021 to 3.1 and 37 in a Super Bowl-winning season. From a fantasy standpoint, he’s only had seven career games in four-plus seasons with more than six targets and six with more than four catches. Unless he breaks a big play open and to the end zone, he’s going to give you modest returns.

But there’s an opportunity in Kansas City for a player with his run-after-catch abilities — he’s averaged more than 8.2 extra yards after hauling in a pass over his Chiefs career. If anything is going to motivate him, it’s leaving Zach Wilson behind for the reigning MVP Mahomes. At the very least, Hardman is worth a daily fantasy or bye week roster flier. And who knows, maybe he’ll finally be the threat Andy Reid wants him to be.