Mecole Hardman is a potent fantasy football sleeper for KC Chiefs

K.C. Chiefs fans seem to share a consensus regarding the high expectations for Mecole Hardman coming into this year. Hardman, who is entering his third year, has shown spurts of greatness yet has been plagued by inconsistent play and mental mistakes.

For a player who was originally drafted in order to fill in for a potentially missing Tyreek Hill, it is many fans’ belief that “The Jet” has fallen short of the high expectations set before him. However, despite the young speedster’s rocky start to his NFL career, Nate Taylor’s report that Hardman is slated to enter the Chief’s training camp as their No. 2 receiver should excite fans and fantasy managers alike.

The previous two seasons hampered Hardman’s ability to offer true fantasy value as he was only on the field for about 45% of the Chiefs’ offensive snaps, due mostly to the Chiefs opting for the trio of Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins and Demarcus Robinson. For these two seasons Hardman offered little to fantasy managers, only accounting for games of at least 15 points in PPR leagues four times.

Mecole Hardman’s increased role in the Chiefs’ offense should have fantasy managers intrigued.

With Hardman now commanding a larger role in the Chief’s high-powered offense, it could tease a breakout year for the former Georgia Bulldog. With the departure of Sammy Watkins, and most of the defensive attention being directed towards Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce, Hardman is poised to make the most out of his increased workload.

Hardman’s 4.33 second time in the 40-yard dash (though he has clocked in faster earlier this year) should make one-on-one coverage difficult, especially if he can shore up and expand upon his route-running tree.  If we take into account that Hardman is averaging an impressive 16.4 yards per catch through his first two seasons, fantasy managers looking for a sleeper in the later rounds should be intrigued by this venture.

Oh, and let’s not forget about who is going to be throwing to Hardman: the father of the AFC, Patrick Mahomes II. You know, the Vegas favorite to win the NFL MVP—again. With a chip on his shoulder from the previous failed Super Bowl campaign, the Chiefs offensive leader already has claimed that he has his sights set on going 20-0, a goal from which Hardman should surely benefit.

As a WR2 on the Chiefs pass-heavy offense led by a hungry Mahomes, there truly is no telling what Hardman’s ceiling is for fantasy managers this year. He is currently projected as the 61st ranked wide receiver entering the 2021 fantasy football season. In addition, Hardman is only on 43% of current rosters on ESPN meaning that this Pro Bowl player is a perfect candidate for a late-round sleeper pick, as he has a very good chance to stage a breakout season.