KC Chiefs New WR1 Is

With the recent release of WR1 Jeremy Maclin, I began to wonder who will move into that position. There are some obvious candidates, like Albert Wilson (Ha!), Tyreek Hill, and Chris Conley, but let’s see who else may be in the running.

The WR1 Candidates

I am not sure why, but I expected to see a lot better stats for the group of veterans. The scary thing is that Albert Wilson has the most starts, yardage, and receptions. The good news is that Tyreek Hill isn’t far behind, but with two fewer seasons. Chris Conley is also seems to be ascending with his stats.

The Veteran WRs

Taking a look at the veterans in this group shows we are very thin on the game experience front. Fourth year receiver, Albert Wilson is the leader in starts with 19, followed third year player, Chris Conley with 16.  

There isn’t a single receiver on the team that has 1,000 yards total, let alone a season. Additionally, there is a grand total of 12 touchdowns amongst the group, with 6 of those belonging to Hill. 

This group also contains two veterans that basically are rookies, since they haven’t really seen NFL Regular Season action.  Seantavious Jones and Demarcus Robinson will be looking to land a permanent spot on the roster. 

To put a rosy spin on this, we have youth in this group and their numbers could rise quickly with more game time. Conley and Hill had some decent numbers for 2016, even without the starts.

The Rookie WRs

This is where I think it gets interesting (or terrifying, depending on your perspective). We have 4 undrafted free agents and 1 fourth rounder. This group has lots of size, 6-2 to 6-4 and 185 to 207 lbs.

The speed, however, isn’t very remarkable. They range from 4.47 to 4.59 on the 40 yard times. I hope their game speed is a a touch better by perhaps .10. With their tall frames, I could see them in the Possession Receiver type of role. 

The Roster of WRs

With 11 names on the list and probably 6 roster spots, at least 5 of these guys won’t make it. At this point, I can see Hill, Robinson, Conley, Wilson, and Thomas on the roster. Hill and Conley seem pretty obvious, Thomas for his return duties on special teams, and Wilson because of the compromising pictures he must have on Hunt, Reid, or Dorsey.

If those 5 guys make the roster, then we only have one more spot up for grabs. I could also see someone displacing Wilson in training camp. So, we may end up with 1 or 2 of these rookies making the team.

Another scenario I could see is picking up a free agent. I am not thinking this is very likely, given the cap room we have available. If we do pickup one, it will be a bottom of the roster player that can bring some leadership to the WR room.

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And The New WR1 is…

At this point, I think Chris Conley will be stepping into the role. He has the size and speed for the role and is picking up 12 yards per reception. He does need to improve his catch percentage from his 2016 63.8% a bit. With a full season starting he could be 1,000 yard receiver.

I considered Tyreek Hill here too. He has the numbers for yardage (593 in 1 start and 16 games), catch percentage (73.5%), yards per reception (9.7), and touchdowns (6). The main reason for thinking he will not be the WR1 is the way I think Andy Reid will use him. I see Reid wanting to have him run jet sweeps, RB, and some returns. With those in mind, I don’t see him as the top WR, but more of a utility player role.  

What do you guys think? Who do you see as the new top wide receiver?

Until next week, there’s The Rub!

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