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Factoid

Marquez Valdes-Scantling

New KC receiver likely to disappoint

Kansas City has remade its receiving corps, with Tyreek Hill gone and JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling in. Smith-Schuster, I’m interested in. Valdes-Scantling, not so much.

Valdes-Scantling signed a three-year, $30 million contract, and while that’s not the top dollar some wideouts are getting these days, it’s a lot for a pretty marginal player. Unlikely he makes that contract look good.

I won't pick on MVS's sub-50 percent career catch rate. Running almost exclusively deep patterns, the success rate on those plays is low.

But if you're going to pay a wide receiver $10 million a year he has to at least achieve some impressive level of production at some point, right? Valdes-Scantling has been around and generally a starting, No. 2 wideout for four years now, and he's never put up big numbers. That's while working with one of the game's other elite quarterbacks.

Over the last four years, there have been 110 wide receiver seasons where a player has started at least 7 games (to squeeze in MVS's 2021 season, which he was injured at the end of) and averaged under 4 catches per start (No/St, in the table below). Only one guy has done it in all four years. Valdes-Scantling.

WRS AVERAGING UNDER 4 CATCHES PER START, 2018-2021
YearPlayerStNoYdsAvgTDNo/St
2020Michael Gallup, Dall.155984314.353.9
2018Danny Amendola, Mia.15595759.813.9
2018Demaryius Thomas, 2TM155967711.553.9
2019Corey Davis, Ten.114360114.023.9
2018Antonio Callaway, Cle.114358613.653.9
2019Nelson Agholor, Phil.10393639.333.9
2018Marvin Jones, Det.93550814.553.9
2021Olamide Zaccheaus, Atl.83140613.133.9
2019DK Metcalf, Sea.155890015.573.9
2019Josh Gordon, 2TM72742615.813.9
2018Dante Pettis, S.F.72746717.353.9
2018Doug Baldwin, Sea.135061812.453.8
2018Marquez Valdes-Scantling, G.B.103858115.323.8
2018Quincy Enunwa, NYJ103844911.813.8
2021Corey Davis, NYJ93449214.543.8
2021Donovan Peoples-Jones, Cle.93459717.633.8
2019Kelvin Harmon, Was.83036512.203.8
2020T.Y. Hilton, Ind.155676213.653.7
2018Zay Jones, Buff.155665211.673.7
2021Adam Humphries, Was.11413839.303.7
2020Jerry Jeudy, Den.145285616.533.7
2021Marquez Valdes-Scantling, G.B.72643016.533.7
2018David Moore, Sea.72644517.153.7
2020Nelson Agholor, L.V.134889618.783.7
2018Devin Funchess, Car.124454912.543.7
2018Josh Doctson, Was.124453212.123.7
2020Allen Lazard, G.B.93345113.733.7
2020N'Keal Harry, N.E.9333099.423.7
2021Courtland Sutton, Den.165877613.423.6
2018Josh Reynolds, LAR82940213.953.6
2019Curtis Samuel, Car.155462711.663.6
2019Demaryius Thomas, NYJ103643312.013.6
2021Quez Watkins, Phil.124364715.113.6
2021Tajae Sharpe, Atl.7252309.203.6
2021Brandon Aiyuk, S.F.165682614.853.5
2019JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pitt.124255213.133.5
2019Tyrell Williams, Oak.124265115.563.5
2018Ryan Grant, Ind.10353349.513.5
2019John Ross, Cin.82850618.133.5
2019Robby Anderson, NYJ155277915.053.5
2021Allen Robinson, Chi.113841010.813.5
2018Keelan Cole, Jac.113849112.913.5
2021Kalif Raymond, Det.144857612.043.4
2018Donte Moncrief, Jac.144866813.933.4
2021Henry Ruggs, L.V.72446919.523.4
2018DeVante Parker, Mia.72430912.913.4
2018Josh Gordon, 2TM124173718.043.4
2020Tim Patrick, Den.155174214.663.4
2020TreQuan Smith, N.O.103444813.243.4
2021Odell Beckham, 2TM134453712.253.4
2018Michael Crabtree, Balt.165460711.233.4
2019Isaiah McKenzie, Buff.8272549.413.4
2020A.J. Green, Cin.144752311.123.4
2020Damiere Byrd, N.E.144760412.913.4
2019Chris Conley, Jac.144777516.553.4
2020Darius Slayton, NYG155075115.033.3
2019Ted Ginn, N.O.93042114.023.3
2021Robby Anderson, Car.16535199.853.3
2021Tim Patrick, Den.165373413.953.3
2020Odell Beckham, Cle.72331913.933.3
2020Richie James, S.F.72339417.113.3
2019Mike Williams, LAC1549100120.423.3
2021Emmanuel Sanders, Buff.134262614.943.2
2020Cam Sims, Was.103247714.913.2
2019Demarcus Robinson, K.C.103244914.043.2
2020Gabriel Davis, Buff.113559917.173.2
2019Zach Pascal, Ind.134160714.853.2
2020Zach Pascal, Ind.144462914.353.1
2021Freddie Swain, Sea.82534313.743.1
2020Jalen Guyton, LAC92851118.333.1
2019Jarius Wright, Car.92829610.603.1
2021Julio Jones, Ten.103143414.013.1
2021Allen Lazard, G.B.134051312.883.1
2019Brandin Cooks, LAR144258313.923.0
2019Adam Thielen, Min.103041813.963.0
2021Sammy Watkins, Balt.92739414.613.0
2019Zay Jones, 2TM9272168.003.0
2018Pierre Garcon, S.F.82428611.913.0
2018Equanimeous St. Brown, G.B.72132815.603.0
2021Van Jefferson, LAR175080216.062.9
2021Zach Pascal, Ind.133838410.132.9
2020Denzel Mims, NYJ82335715.502.9
2018Marquise Goodwin, S.F.82339517.242.9
2018Allen Hurns, Dall.72029514.822.9
2021Nelson Agholor, N.E.133747312.832.8
2021Bryan Edwards, L.V.123457116.832.8
2020Jalen Reagor, Phil.113139612.812.8
2019Willie Snead, Balt.113133910.952.8
2018John Brown, Balt.154271517.052.8
2020Marquez Valdes-Scantling, G.B.123369020.962.8
2021Kenny Golladay, NYG143752114.102.6
2019Marquez Valdes-Scantling, G.B.102645217.422.6
2020Preston Williams, Mia.71828816.042.6
2021T.Y. Hilton, Ind.92333114.432.6
2021Keelan Cole, NYJ112844916.012.5
2021Jalen Reagor, Phil.13332999.122.5
2020Breshad Perriman, NYJ123050516.832.5
2021Demarcus Robinson, K.C.102526410.632.5
2018Kelvin Benjamin, 2TM102538015.212.5
2018Kenny Stills, Mia.153755315.062.5
2018Chris Conley, K.C.133233410.452.5
2018Chad Williams, Ariz.71717110.112.4
2019Cody Latimer, NYG102430012.522.4
2021Chris Conley, Hou.102232314.722.2
2020Henry Ruggs, L.V.122645217.422.2
2018John Ross, Cin.102121010.072.1
2018Tajae Sharpe, Ten.132631612.222.0
2020Miles Boykin, Balt.131926614.041.5
2019Miles Boykin, Balt.111319815.231.2
2021Josh Gordon, K.C.75326.410.7

MVS has averaged over 15 yards per reception in all four of those seasons, which is impressive. He's not a nobody; he can be a big asset to an offense.

But averaging under 4 catches -- under 3 in two of those seasons -- as a starting wideout isn't something that should earn you a huge contract. Catching all of 13 TDs in those seasons, while working with a quarterback who's thrown 136 in that timeframe, isn't impressive either. Pretty likely he will disappoint in Kansas City.

--Andy Richardson

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