Kansas City Chiefs WR Skyy Moore had a disappointing rookie season with a WR122 finish in PPR fantasy football formats. But will the departure of JuJu Smith-Schuster open up a much larger role for Moore this season? Let’s take a closer look.
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Skyy Moore’s Fantasy Outlook for the 2023 NFL Season
There wasn’t much we saw on the football field from Moore to get excited about from his rookie season.
He finished eighth on the team in targets (33), seventh on the team in receptions (22), eighth in receiving yards (250), and didn’t score a single one of Patrick Mahomes’ 41 passing TDs during the regular season.
So, why exactly should fantasy managers still be optimistic about Moore in 2023?
Well, the team parted ways with WRs Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman this offseason. They combined to account for 135 targets and 1,230 receiving yards. The departure of JuJu is a bit more relevant. Smith-Schuster saw 282 slot snaps last season, which is a role Moore’s profile suggests he could play.
In fact, two of the best weeks Moore had during his rookie campaign were in Weeks 11 and 12. Both weeks, he saw six targets and five receptions while seeing a snap share of 46% and 42%, respectively, which were both season highs.
It might be a coincidence that Moore’s best weeks and usage came when Smith-Schuster only played 33% of the snaps in Week 12 and missed Week 11 altogether — or it could signal a bump in usage in a similar role heading into 2023.
Skyy Moore is showing out at camp today #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/WHybSkPCuc
— Sports Radio 810 WHB (@SportsRadio810)
The other factors that will prevent a Moore breakout are obvious. Travis Kelce is clearly atop the pass-catching pecking order in this offense and this isn’t going to change this season.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who was far more involved in the passing attack last year than Moore, still figures to be a big part of this passing attack in 2023. Then, there is the unknown impact of rookie WR Rashee Rice and dynamic playmaking talent Kadarius Toney.
So, while there exists a potential path for Moore to see an expanded role in 2023, it isn’t exactly a guarantee either.
Is Moore a Good Fantasy Pick?
I am a believer in Moore’s talent as a WR prospect; I believe he’s capable of being a productive pass catcher in the NFL. But he has to separate himself from the rest of the WR group so he doesn’t simply become another replaceable cog in the Chiefs’ passing game wheel.
Toney is a bit of a wild card after suffering a torn meniscus at the start of training camp. His status is currently up in the air for Week 1. Nonetheless, he should make it back into the lineup at some point this season.
There is a learning curve that takes place for rookie WRs heading into the NFL. Perhaps, the learning curve was a bit much for Moore his rookie season, but he did gain valuable experience in all three WR roles in this offensive system.
The Chiefs are going to get production from someone in this WR room. You can make an argument Moore is the most versatile WR the Chiefs have on the roster and could fill the role of Smith-Schuster, who finished as the WR27 in PPR formats last season.
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If Moore sees a similar type of role operating from the slot, he could provide big returns on his current draft day price of the WR50 off the board. He is more than worth the dart throw at his current price.
- PFN Consensus Rankings: 112th overall
- ADP: 126th overall
