Kadarius Toney, Rashee Rice Fantasy Outlook After Chiefs-Jets Mecole Hardman Trade

David Berding/Getty Images

The Kansas City Chiefs brought back a familiar face on Wednesday, acquiring wide receiver Mecole Hardman in a trade with the New York Jets, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Given Kansas City’s mediocre play at wide receiver, the natural question is how Hardman’s acquisition will affect the already-limited fantasy value of wideouts like Kadarius Toney and Rashee Rice.

The Chiefs aren’t making a midseason trade for a player in Hardman—who they decided against re-signing in the offseason—because they are happy with their receiving group. And the player this hurts the most is Toney, who has barely offered any fantasy value in the first place.

He’s only managed 17 receptions for 92 yards and a score, adding five rushes for -2 yards. His hands were about as reliable as an arcade claw machine early in the season, and his role as an open-field playmaker and gadget-play recipient may potentially be usurped by Hardman.

Skyy Moore equally gets a fantasy downgrade with Hardman’s addition. Neither player should be anywhere near your starting lineups.

Rice, on the other hand, has probably established himself enough to be mostly unaffected by Hardman’s addition, given that he leads the team’s wideouts in receptions (21), receiving yards (245), targets (28) and touchdowns (two).

He hasn’t been a fantasy standout himself, but he’s earned matchup-reliant flex consideration on a weekly basis.

As for Hardman, your inclination might be the rush to waivers to add him. Pump the brakes.

His most receptions (59), receiving yards (693) and targets (93) came in 2021. His most total touchdowns came a year later (six). Even if you combined all of those stats into one season, it wouldn’t exactly have him near the top of the receiver rankings.

Plus, he couldn’t even beat out Randall Cobb in New York for the third receiver gig. Sometimes, a player and a team are a bad fit, but letting the 33-year-old Cobb win the third receiver position over you isn’t exactly a glowing endorsement.

Maybe Hardman will prove to be a more viable option this time around in Kansas City, given the team’s lack of quality at receiver. Chances are, however, he’ll offer production similar to Rice, making both players low-ceiling options at the flex.

But you probably have far better options than both.