NFL Fantasy Football: 3 Reasons why Chiefs WR Josh Gordon is not a good option
After spending the last several months with an indefinite suspension, former Pro Bowl wide receiver Josh Gordon received reinstatement.
The 30-year-old quickly found a new NFL home as he inked a deal with the Kansas City Chiefs. Gordon will first be a member on the practice squad with the hope he can move to earn a spot on the active roster once he gathers comfort with the playbook and gets into playing shape.
Josh Gordon won't be a fantasy football stud with the Chiefs
Star quarterback Patrick Mahomes spoke quite highly of Gordon, airing what he believes could be a factor in the passing game.
"Everywhere he's been, he's kind of dominated,'' Mahomes said via ESPN. "He can make plays in one-on-one coverage. He's a big receiver. Even if he's covered, he's not covered. You can kind of throw it up there and he can make plays.''
Gordon hasn’t played in an NFL game since the 2019 season with the Seattle Seahawks. He recorded 27 receptions for 426 receiving yards and a touchdown. With an opportunity to become a significant piece of the puzzle in Kansas City, here is why it will be difficult to depend on the star wideout.
#1 - Role in the passing game will fluctuate
There is no denying the game-changing ability Gordon has in the passing game as a deep-ball threat.
However, it’s hard to determine what kind of role he will get in the offense once he receives a roster activation. Gordon will sit well behind Pro Bowlers Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill in the pecking order as Mahomes’ most relied-upon targets.
The Chiefs haven’t had the most consistent production with Kelce and Hill, leaving an opportunity to snag a role, but the consistency part of the equation is a big question.
Reid on when Gordon might be able to play in a game: "It's gonna take awhile. It's probably not gonna be this week."
#2 - Uncertain timetable ahead
The Chiefs took a flyer on Gordon to see if he could help improve the passing game.
However, his extended absence puts an uncertain timetable concerning when he can return to the fold. Head coach Andy Reid voiced that he expects it to be awhile before Gordon gets on the field in an NFL game.
"It's going to take a while,'' coach Andy Reid said of getting the 30-year-old Gordon into the lineup. "He's probably not going to play this week. We'll just see how it goes over the next week or two."
With Reid not being too confident in an appearance for quite some time, it pushes Gordon’s fantasy football viability further down the list.
Josh Gordon has 110 receptions in the last 7 years. His best season was 3 years ago (with the GOAT) and only resulted in 128 fantasy points. He's 30 years old and hasn't caught a pass in two years... No thanks
#3 - Lack of reliable production
Gordon remains a physically gifted wide receiver, but it hasn’t translated over to him putting up highly consistent numbers.
In each of his last two stops with the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, he worked with two of the game’s best quarterbacks in Russell Wilson and Tom Brady, but it didn’t translate to strong, consistent production.
He tallied just seven catches for 139 receiving yards in five games with the Seahawks. Mahomes could certainly change that trend up, but his previous production history with elite quarterbacks isn’t promising.