The Kansas City Chiefs acquired Kadarius Toney in a trade on Thursday, but what does the move do for his fantasy football value? Should fantasy managers be looking to add Toney as he gets a change in scenery away from the New York Giants? Additionally, what impact does this have on the fantasy options in Kansas City and New York?
Kadarius Toney’s Fantasy Outlook With the Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs sent a compensatory third-round pick and a sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Giants in exchange for Toney. That seems like a very small price to pay for a player that was a first-round pick in 2021.
However, the problem for the Chiefs — and fantasy managers — is getting Toney on the field. Through the first 24 games of his career, Toney has suited up in just 12, as his NFL career has been dogged by injuries.
Even heading into Week 8, Toney was still a non-participant at practice on Wednesday as he deals with the hamstring issue. While the hope is that Toney will be close to returning, he’s been close once before, only to suffer another injury. These nagging injuries have continued to be a concern since he came into the NFL.
With this in mind, Toney is a very hard player to trust for fantasy managers. If he can get on the field, he’s a versatile piece that the Chiefs could use in a variety of ways to make plays.
MORE: Grading the Kadarius Toney Trade
The second-year WR has 60 targets, 41 receptions, and 420 yards in his short career. He has also carried the ball five times for 29 yards. The problem is whether the Chiefs have to monitor his touches because of these nagging injuries.
There is no doubt there is potential here, especially in dynasty leagues. However, the upside is heavily limited by the concerns over soft tissue injuries. If Toney can stay healthy for a period of time, then the Chiefs’ offense gives him a fantastic upside. However, that might not be fully realized until 2023, if ever.
If you want to take a gamble on Toney in deeper formats, then it certainly does not hurt. However, you are likely looking at 16-team leagues with deeper benches. In 12 or 14-team leagues, let someone else rush out and add him, because chances are they will be moving on in a week or two anyway, and you will have another chance when his stock is lower.
Fantasy Impact on Other Chiefs and Giants Receivers
Let’s start in New York. Things actually look almost exactly the same for the Giants’ fantasy options simply because Toney had played just 35 snaps all year. We already know what the Giants’ offense looks like without him. Thus, nothing changes, and Saquon Barkley remains the only consistent fantasy option in the offense until we see more consistency from one of the other weapons.
Little really changes in the short term for the Chiefs, either. Outside of Travis Kelce, trusting any weapon in Kansas City has been tough this year. JuJu Smith-Schuster is starting to emerge as a consistent weapon, while Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Mecole Hardman have been sporadic boom-bust contributors.
Toney’s presence likely hurts the fantasy value of all of the receivers a little if he sees regular playing time. He will most likely take snaps away from Justin Watson in a backup role, but Toney could also eat into the gadget nature of Hardman’s value. However, unless Toney starts seeing 5+ touches per game, he’s likely only taking one or two opportunities away from each player at a maximum.
Until we see Toney playing consistently in Kansas City, there are very few changes. This move has the potential to make things complicated in Kansas City, but they need to get Toney healthy and producing on a consistent basis first. We are most likely at least two or three weeks away from that being the case.
Ultimately, this trade for Toney is one that makes a lot more sense for the Chiefs than it does impact fantasy managers. He could have value down the line, but it will most likely be sporadic and tough to start him on a regular basis.
