What You Need to Know:

• The Chief signed Valdes-Scantling about a week into free agency to a 3-year, $30 million contract with $15 million guaranteed.
  • That places him 30th among WRs in average annual salary and 42nd in guaranteed money.
  • By comparison, the Chiefs gave WR JuJu Smith-Schuster a 1-year, $3.25 million deal – although there are attainable incentives that can make it worth close to $9 million.
• Valdes-Scantling spent his first 4 NFL seasons in Green Bay.
• Here are his career highs so far:
  • Targets per game: 5.0 (2021)
  • Catches per game: 2.4 (2018)
  • Yards per game: 43.1 (2020)
  • TDs per game: .38 (2020)
  • Fantasy finish: PPR WR54 and non-PPR WR40 (2020)
• Valdes-Scantling’s target shares by season:
  • 2018 - 11.4%
  • 2019 - 9.8%
  • 2020 - 12.0%
  • 2021 - 14.1%
• He was primarily a deep threat in Green Bay, with yearly average depths of target of 13.8, 16.8, 18.2 and 18.2 yards. Those last 3 marks all ranked inside the top 3 among WRs.
• Valdes-Scantling was only moderately effective in that role. Here are his finishes in Pro Football Focus’ deep receiving grades:
  • 2018 - 11th among 76 qualifiers
  • 2019 - 54th out of 68
  • 2020 - 43rd out of 73
  • 2021- 39th out of 70
• Valdes-Scantling earned a personal-best overall PFF receiving grade last year. But it ranked just 76th among 103 qualifying WRs. He ranked 83rd, 90th and 88th in his first 3 seasons.
• A day before signing Valdes-Scantling, the Chiefs traded WR Tyreek Hill to Miami.
  • Hill garnered a career-high 9.4 targets per game last year.
  • He averaged 9.0, 7.4, and 8.6 targets per game the previous 3 seasons.
• The Chiefs also lost WRs Byron Pringle and Demarcus Robinson this offseason. Those 2 combined for 15.0% of the Chiefs’ targets, 15.0% of the receptions, 16.9% of the receiving yards and 21.6% of the receiving scores last year.
• In addition to adding Valdes-Scantling and Smith-Schuster, the Chiefs spent a Round 2 pick on Skyy Moore this spring and return Mecole Hardman.

Draft Sharks Bottom Line:

Valdes-Scantling was an inconsistent deep threat who was never really a reliable fantasy play across 4 seasons in Green Bay.

So it was surprising to see the Chiefs give him a 3-year, $30 million deal in free agency. That money says that they believe he can produce more than he did with the Packers. And the opportunity is certainly there with Tyreek Hill’s departure.

Valdes-Scantling should at least present a high weekly ceiling in this Chiefs offense. We’ll see if he can find enough consistency to be a reliable fantasy starter.