A Fantasy Zombie is a former fantasy star who has not had recent success but is back and ready to contribute to your team.
JuJu Smith-Schuster WR Kansas City Chiefs
Smith-Schuster is in an ideal situation to become the standard of a fantasy zombie. Relegated to catching passes from a broken down QB in Pittsburgh (Ben Roethlisberger) the last few years, he now gets to play with one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL in Kansas City (Patrick Mahomes). Although his Y/R (Yards per Reception) has declined from 13.1 (2019) to 8.6 the last few years, those stats mirror Roethlisberger’s decline in arm strength. Remember he is just a few years removed from a Pro Bowl season (2018) in which he had 111 receptions, over 1400 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Kansas City is a pass first offense where Smith-Schuster has a chance to emerge as their WR1. Do not forget that KC traded their elite WR Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins this offseason. Hill was targeted on 159 passes last year as KC’s WR1. Who gets all those targets this year? JuJu Smith-Schuster! Well maybe not all of them but the potential is there for him to be on the receiving end of a lion’s share of those targets.
JuJu Smith-Schuster has the skill and is in an ideal situation to match his 2018 Pro Bowl success. Depending on his chemistry with QB Patrick Mahomes and health, Smith-Schuster could finish the year as a top 10 wide receiver. If I wanted a piece of the Chiefs’ offense beyond QB and TE then JuJu Smith-Schuster is your target.