Tyreek Hill named top fantasy breakout player

Tyreek Hill is going to be a popular fantasy play given his stellar rookie season and the absence of Jeremy Maclin on the Chiefs roster.

The Kansas City Chiefs have cleared the way. Tyreek Hill’s time has truly come. Perhaps that’s why he’s such a hot commodity these days in early fantasy football leagues, as fans realize the potential for the Chiefs wide receiver for the coming year.

Last year, Hill broke onto the scene as a dynamic rookie receiver and returner who was a threat to score from anywhere on the field. Not only did he provide a Devin Hester-esque excitement every time he touched the ball on special teams, both on kick and punt returns, but he even brought that to the offense as well, providing a spark as a receiver or used out of the backfield. The end result was a strong rookie year with 12 total touchdowns, including 3 on returns, and DeSean Jackson comparisons heading into his sophomore season.

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Even more important for fantasy football players this year is that the Chiefs have openly committed to Hill in word and deed. Andy Reid has confirmed that Hill will give up kick return duties to focus more on being ingrained in the offense, and the team also released Jeremy Maclin in a surprise cut earlier this summer. The move cleared the way for Hill to earn even more targets on offense.

Michael Fabiano of NFL.com has listed his top fantasy breakout players for 2017 and Hill came in at No. 4 overall. He writes:

"Hill might not match last season’s touchdown totals, but he’s going to see far more targets in the pass attack with Jeremy Maclin no longer on the team."

There’s no reason to believe that Hill won’t score just as much as he did last year. He remains the fastest player on the field and now Reid will know even better how to use Hill’s talents to create mismatches for the defense. The Chiefs were also slower to use Hill in the very beginning which means it’s not difficult to project Hill having even more touchdowns than last season, especially after having a full offseason to rest and learn even more as the game slows down for a player who’s already quicker than everyone.

Others on Fabiano’s list included Martavis Bryant, Isaiah Crowell and Ty Montgomery.