JuJu Smith-Schuster starred for the Kansas City Chiefs last time we saw them in action in Week 5. But after being added to the injury report on Thursday, is Smith-Schuster going to be an option for fantasy managers on Sunday?
Will JuJu Smith-Schuster Be Active in Week 7?
The eighth-year wide receiver did not appear on the injury report at all on Wednesday, but he was limited on Thursday with a hamstring injury.
That’s seemed like an ominous sign suggesting that the eighth-year pro could be in real danger of missing his first game of the season. However, Andy Reid alleviated concerns on Friday by saying that Smith-Schuster will play.
Andy Reid said JuJu Smith-Schuster will play Sunday against 49ers. Said he had hamstring spasms that forced him out of Thursday's practice early but returned to practice today. Said JuJu would be listed as questionable when injury report "just in case" he has setback
— Adam Teicher (@adamteicher)
Smith-Schuster’s Week 5 bonanza (seven catches, 130 yards) came out of nowhere, as he had a total of two catches for 17 yards in his first four games of the season.
But with Rashee Rice and Isiah Pacheco missing from the lineup, a weapons-starved Chiefs offense makes Smith-Schuster an appealing add.
Fantasy Options Among Chiefs Pass Catchers in Week 7
Smith-Schuster’s emergence comes at a timely period when the Chiefs are extremely short-handed at wide receiver. On Wednesday, Andy Reid spoke about the trust that he and Mahomes have in the veteran wideout.
#Chiefs HC Andy Reid on JuJu Smith-Schuster:
“Pat [Mahomes] has trust in him. We as coaches have trust in him and we’ve tried to put him in good positions for his strengths and try to utilize those… The guy opposite [Travis] Kelce ends up being very important” pic.twitter.com/CNCQMeQBLd
— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex)
Against the Saints, Smith-Schuster received a 27.6% target rate, his highest in a game since Week 9 of last season and a massive jump from his 7.1% target rate the first four games. It was also his fierst 100-yard receiving game since Week 7 of the 2022 season (ironically also at San Francisco).
Even with Smith-Schuster available, Travis Kelce’s return as the top tight end in fantasy has been solidified. Kelce was the TE2 in PPR points from Weeks 4-5 behind only George Kittle after a woeful first three games to the season.
Kelce received 30.6% of his team’s targets in those two games, tops among tight ends and seventh-highest among any player.
Elsewhere, Xavier Worthy is really the only dependable pass catcher for the Chiefs worth putting in your lineup. Worthy leads all Chiefs wide receivers with 202 snaps this season (63.3%), the only wideout on the roster to play more than half the snaps.
Worthy’s usage has been boom-or-bust, not a huge surprise given the nature of his skill set. The rookie has a meager 15.1% target rate, which ranks 91st among wide receivers. Even with the added rushing value on designer plays (six carries, 42 yards, two touchdowns), Worthy still needs more volume to be a more reliable receiver.
The only other wide receivers on the active roster are Mecole Hardman, Justin Watson, and Skyy Moore. That trio has combined for 10 receptions for 120 yards and 0 touchdowns this year, so pass until someone definitely separates himself.
