The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off of yet another deep playoff run. However, they've gone through a ton of changes this offseason. In order to continue their high level of success, the Chiefs will need a couple of their players to perform well beyond expectations. This happened last year with rookie linebacker Nick Bolton, who was expected to be a decent starter. Bolton almost immediately became one of the best defensive players on Kansas City. There are plenty of breakout candidates on the roster this season, but none look more promising than rookie wide receiver Skyy Moore.
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Chiefs X-Factor To Emerge In 2022 NFL Season
Skyy Moore
It's surprising that Moore fell all the way to the late second round in this past draft. Many analysts had predicted that the Western Michigan product would go as high as the mid-first round. There were plenty of reasons Moore was such a highly touted prospect. His speed, play strength, and above-average route running are all reasons Moore will immediately produce at the NFL level. He was a solid producer for three years in college, and it seems likely that his adjustment to the league won't be too difficult.
Skyy Moore WR1 pic.twitter.com/1dMZ4h8ajo
— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) June 14, 2022
One of the primary reasons Moore will be a huge X-factor is the weakness at his position. The Chiefs traded away Tyreek Hill this offseason, depriving themselves of their best wide receiver. The slate of names that are set to take over are far from inspiring. JuJu Smith-Schuster hasn't had a really good season since 2018 with the Pittsburgh Steelers. It doesn't help that he's coming off of a season in which injuries limited him to five games.
Mecole Hardman has been with the Chiefs for a while now, but he's never been anything more than a speed threat. In three years in Kansas City, Hardman failed to earn himself a consistent starting spot, and also failed to surpass 700 yards receiving.
Last but not least is Marquez Valdez-Scantling, a player the Chiefs massively overpaid in the offseason. He played four seasons with the Green Bay Packers, one of the best passing offenses in the entire NFL. There also wasn't much competition in the wide receiver room there. Despite those factors, Valdez-Scantling failed to eclipse 700 yards receiving in any single season. He also failed to consistently crack the starting lineup despite the lack of competition.
Overall, it shouldn't be difficult for Moore to get the snaps he needs to prove himself. Smith-Schuster is a fair bet to get injured, and neither Hardman or Valdez-Scantling have ever been able to hold down a starting job. Moore is currently the first wide receiver off the bench for Kansas City. By Week 5, he should be in the starting lineup and commanding a huge target share.
The only player who is a lock to outproduce Moore is tight end Travis Kelce. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Moore with the second-biggest target share in Kansas City by the end of his rookie season. That should lead to a ton of statistical success, as the Chiefs are one of the most pass-heavy offenses in the entire NFL. For those reasons, it's clear that Moore is the Chiefs' X-factor as the 2022 season approaches.
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