There was some discussion here recently as to whether and when Kansas City would part ways with Sammy Watkins. They're tight against the cap, and he was set to make a big salary. In fact, they're bringing him back, signing him to a one-year restructured deal. Looks like he'll be their No. 2 wideout.
The deal reportedly will pay him a $9 million base salary for 2020, with a chance to make up to $16 million with incentives. It's a pretty good chunk of change for a guy who has been a disappointment for most of his two years with the team, and didn't do a lot last season. Except in Week 1 (9 catches for 198 yards and 3 TDs), and then the playoffs.
When you include Week 1, Watkins averaged 10 fantasy points per game last season, which was at least top-50 production for wide receivers who started at least half the season. But if you do nothing more than remove that huge opener, he averaged 3.3 catches for 37 yards per game, with no touchdowns -- 7 fantasy points per contest. That was one of the worst performances by a regular wideout last season, down with guys you barely knew were getting on the field -- Marcus Johnson, Kelvin Harmon, Damiere Byrd.
But in the playoffs, Watkins, perhaps realizing he was in a contract push, blew up for 14 catches, 288 yards and a touchdown in three games. Playoff Sammy was a top-10 wideout.
| WRS PER GAME 2019, WATKINS VERSION | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | St | No | Yds | Run | TD | PPR |
| Michael Thomas, N.O. | 16 | 9.3 | 107.8 | -.6 | .56 | 23.5 |
| Chris Godwin, T.B. | 14 | 6.1 | 95.2 | .6 | .67 | 19.7 |
| Julio Jones, Atl. | 15 | 6.6 | 92.9 | -.2 | .40 | 18.3 |
| DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 15 | 6.9 | 77.7 | 1.2 | .53 | 17.9 |
| Mike Evans, T.B. | 13 | 5.2 | 89.0 | .0 | .64 | 17.9 |
| Davante Adams, G.B. | 12 | 6.9 | 83.1 | .0 | .44 | 17.9 |
| Cooper Kupp, LAR | 16 | 5.9 | 72.6 | .3 | .63 | 16.9 |
| Watkins, K.C. (Playoffs) | 3 | 4.7 | 96.0 | 4.7 | .33 | 16.8 |
| Keenan Allen, LAC | 16 | 6.5 | 74.9 | 1.0 | .38 | 16.2 |
| Allen Robinson, Chi. | 16 | 6.1 | 71.7 | .1 | .44 | 15.9 |
| Julian Edelman, N.E. | 16 | 6.3 | 69.8 | 1.7 | .44 | 15.9 |
| Kenny Golladay, Det. | 16 | 4.1 | 74.4 | .0 | .69 | 15.6 |
| Tyreek Hill, K.C. | 12 | 4.8 | 71.7 | 1.9 | .58 | 15.5 |
| DeVante Parker, Mia. | 16 | 4.5 | 75.1 | .0 | .56 | 15.4 |
| Amari Cooper, Dall. | 16 | 4.9 | 74.3 | .4 | .50 | 15.4 |
| DJ Moore, Car. | 15 | 5.8 | 78.3 | 2.7 | .27 | 15.2 |
| Michael Gallup, Dall. | 14 | 4.7 | 79.1 | .0 | .43 | 15.2 |
| DJ Chark, Jac. | 15 | 4.9 | 67.2 | 1.3 | .56 | 14.9 |
| Marvin Jones, Det. | 13 | 4.8 | 59.9 | .0 | .69 | 14.9 |
| Calvin Ridley, Atl. | 13 | 4.8 | 66.6 | 2.6 | .56 | 14.9 |
| Jarvis Landry, Cle. | 16 | 5.2 | 73.4 | .6 | .38 | 14.8 |
| Robert Woods, LAR | 15 | 6.0 | 75.6 | 7.7 | .20 | 14.8 |
| Tyler Lockett, Sea. | 16 | 5.1 | 66.1 | -.3 | .50 | 14.7 |
| John Brown, Buff. | 15 | 4.8 | 70.7 | .5 | .44 | 14.5 |
| Stefon Diggs, Min. | 15 | 4.2 | 75.3 | 4.1 | .40 | 14.1 |
| Tyler Boyd, Cin. | 16 | 5.6 | 65.4 | 1.4 | .31 | 14.0 |
| Golden Tate, NYG | 11 | 4.5 | 61.5 | 1.5 | .55 | 13.9 |
| Terry McLaurin, Was. | 14 | 4.1 | 65.6 | .0 | .50 | 13.7 |
| Courtland Sutton, Den. | 16 | 4.5 | 69.5 | 1.1 | .38 | 13.7 |
| Sterling Shepard, NYG | 10 | 5.7 | 57.6 | 7.2 | .33 | 13.5 |
| A.J. Brown, Ten. | 16 | 3.3 | 65.7 | 3.8 | .56 | 13.2 |
| Darius Slayton, NYG | 12 | 3.6 | 53.8 | .0 | .67 | 13.0 |
| Odell Beckham, Cle. | 16 | 4.6 | 64.7 | .6 | .25 | 12.6 |
| T.Y. Hilton, Ind. | 10 | 4.5 | 50.1 | .0 | .50 | 12.5 |
| Jamison Crowder, NYJ | 16 | 4.9 | 52.1 | .3 | .38 | 12.3 |
| Cole Beasley, Buff. | 15 | 4.5 | 51.9 | .0 | .44 | 12.3 |
| Christian Kirk, Ariz. | 13 | 5.2 | 54.5 | 7.2 | .26 | 12.2 |
| Alshon Jeffery, Phil. | 10 | 4.3 | 49.0 | .2 | .50 | 12.2 |
| Will Fuller, Hou. | 11 | 4.5 | 60.9 | .0 | .27 | 12.2 |
| John Ross, Cin. | 8 | 3.5 | 63.3 | .5 | .38 | 12.1 |
| DK Metcalf, Sea. | 16 | 3.6 | 56.3 | .7 | .46 | 12.0 |
| Deebo Samuel, S.F. | 15 | 3.8 | 53.5 | 10.6 | .42 | 11.7 |
| Preston Williams, Mia. | 8 | 4.0 | 53.5 | .0 | .38 | 11.6 |
| Adam Thielen, Min. | 10 | 3.0 | 41.8 | .6 | .70 | 11.4 |
| Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 16 | 4.7 | 50.3 | .0 | .25 | 11.2 |
| Emmanuel Sanders, Den.-S.F. | 17 | 3.9 | 51.1 | .0 | .35 | 11.1 |
| Diontae Johnson, Pitt. | 14 | 3.9 | 45.6 | 2.9 | .43 | 11.1 |
| Mike Williams, LAC | 15 | 3.3 | 66.7 | .1 | .13 | 10.7 |
| Breshad Perriman, T.B. | 13 | 2.8 | 49.6 | 1.2 | .46 | 10.5 |
| Marquise Brown, Balt. | 14 | 3.3 | 41.7 | .0 | .50 | 10.5 |
| Randall Cobb, Dall. | 15 | 3.7 | 55.2 | .7 | .20 | 10.4 |
| Hunter Renfrow, Oak. | 13 | 3.8 | 46.5 | .0 | .31 | 10.3 |
| Dede Westbrook, Jac. | 15 | 4.4 | 44.0 | 1.8 | .24 | 10.3 |
| Tyrell Williams, Oak. | 14 | 3.0 | 46.5 | .0 | .43 | 10.2 |
| Russell Gage, Atl. | 9 | 5.0 | 44.7 | 1.4 | .11 | 10.1 |
| Robby Anderson, NYJ | 16 | 3.3 | 48.7 | .3 | .33 | 10.1 |
| Curtis Samuel, Car. | 16 | 3.4 | 39.2 | 8.1 | .44 | 9.9 |
| Taylor Gabriel, Chi. | 9 | 3.2 | 39.2 | 2.2 | .44 | 9.8 |
| Chris Conley, Jac. | 16 | 2.9 | 48.4 | .0 | .33 | 9.8 |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pitt. | 12 | 3.5 | 46.0 | .0 | .25 | 9.6 |
| Danny Amendola, Det. | 15 | 4.1 | 45.2 | .0 | .11 | 9.3 |
| Auden Tate, Cin. | 11 | 3.5 | 51.7 | .0 | .09 | 9.3 |
| Zach Pascal, Ind. | 13 | 3.0 | 42.6 | 1.2 | .33 | 9.3 |
| Kenny Stills, Hou. | 13 | 3.1 | 43.2 | .0 | .31 | 9.2 |
| James Washington, Pitt. | 15 | 2.9 | 49.0 | .0 | .20 | 9.0 |
| Nelson Agholor, Phil. | 11 | 3.5 | 33.0 | .6 | .30 | 8.7 |
| Mohamed Sanu, Atl.-N.E. | 14 | 4.0 | 36.1 | .8 | .14 | 8.5 |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling, G.B. | 9 | 2.4 | 46.7 | 1.0 | .22 | 8.4 |
| Phillip Dorsett, N.E. | 11 | 2.5 | 31.5 | 1.9 | .45 | 8.4 |
| Allen Lazard, G.B. | 10 | 3.1 | 41.2 | 2.1 | .20 | 8.4 |
| Anthony Miller, Chi. | 16 | 3.3 | 41.0 | -.1 | .13 | 8.1 |
| Brandin Cooks, LAR | 14 | 3.0 | 41.6 | 3.7 | .14 | 8.0 |
| Demaryius Thomas, NYJ | 11 | 3.3 | 39.4 | .0 | .09 | 7.8 |
| Kendrick Bourne, S.F. | 11 | 2.2 | 26.2 | .0 | .48 | 7.7 |
| Corey Davis, Ten. | 15 | 2.9 | 40.1 | .0 | .13 | 7.7 |
| Alex Erickson, Cin. | 11 | 3.3 | 42.5 | 3.0 | .00 | 7.5 |
| Adam Humphries, Ten. | 12 | 3.1 | 31.2 | .1 | .17 | 7.2 |
| Marcus Johnson, Ind. | 8 | 2.1 | 34.6 | .0 | .25 | 7.1 |
| Kelvin Harmon, Was. | 8 | 3.1 | 38.8 | .0 | .00 | 7.0 |
| Watkins, K.C. (Wk 2-17) | 13 | 3.3 | 36.5 | .92 | .0 | 7.0 |
| Damiere Byrd, Ariz. | 11 | 2.9 | 32.6 | .0 | .09 | 6.7 |
| TreQuan Smith, N.O. | 11 | 1.6 | 21.3 | .0 | .45 | 6.5 |
| Albert Wilson, Mia. | 13 | 3.3 | 27.0 | 3.5 | .08 | 6.5 |
| Paul Richardson, Was. | 10 | 2.8 | 24.5 | .0 | .20 | 6.5 |
| Demarcus Robinson, K.C. | 16 | 2.0 | 28.1 | .0 | .25 | 6.3 |
| Willie Snead, Balt. | 16 | 1.9 | 21.2 | .1 | .31 | 5.9 |
| Tajae Sharpe, Ten. | 15 | 1.7 | 21.9 | .0 | .27 | 5.5 |
| Ted Ginn, N.O. | 16 | 1.9 | 26.3 | 1.1 | .13 | 5.3 |
| Geronimo Allison, G.B. | 16 | 2.1 | 17.9 | .4 | .15 | 4.8 |
| KeeSean Johnson, Ariz. | 10 | 2.1 | 18.7 | .3 | .13 | 4.8 |
| Trey Quinn, Was. | 12 | 2.2 | 16.5 | .0 | .11 | 4.5 |
| Isaiah McKenzie, Buff. | 10 | 2.2 | 15.3 | 3.5 | .10 | 4.3 |
| Chester Rogers, Ind. | 11 | 1.5 | 16.3 | 1.6 | .18 | 4.2 |
| DaeSean Hamilton, Den. | 16 | 1.8 | 18.6 | .0 | .06 | 4.0 |
| Seth Roberts, Balt. | 16 | 1.3 | 16.9 | .0 | .13 | 3.8 |
| Jarius Wright, Car. | 16 | 1.8 | 18.5 | -.4 | .00 | 3.6 |
| Zay Jones, Buff.-Oak. | 13 | 1.9 | 14.5 | .2 | .00 | 3.4 |
| Miles Boykin, Balt. | 16 | .8 | 12.4 | .0 | .19 | 3.2 |
Watkins will start with the game's best quarterback in probably the league's best offense. That counts for a lot in drafts, making him a player to consider.
But hard to get past the fact he spent 16 weeks of the season as a relative non-factor. The postseason and that Week 1 look nice, but I won't be drafting him based on his best performances, but the entire picture.
--Andy Richardson