Thinking back to Kansas City Chiefs training camp, several names were touted as the likely names we'd hear announced in big moments catching the ball from Patrick Mahomes in 2023. Travis Kelce, Marquez Valdes-Scantling
, Skyy Moore and Kadarius Toney were the names most frequently tossed up.
Through two weeks, none of those names lead the team in receiving yards. Two of them have arguably been relative disappointments (Toney and Moore). Meanwhile, the receiving yardage leader that has emerged as his most electric option is a surprise: Justin Watson is Patrick Mahomes' best receiver both pound-for-pound and situationally so far.
Watson, after two games, leads the team in receiving yards with 107. He's second in yards per reception.
The only real mark against him right now is that he has yet to score a touchdown. That's perfectly fine, if he keeps going the way he has been. Kansas City has plenty of situational playmakers who can score at will in the red zone. Watson is doing everything they need him to by being effective in the first 80 yards.
Justin Watson's reign might not last long, but he's been one of the few bright spots of the Chiefs offense
Looking at advanced stats, it's hard to see Justin Watson holding the claim of, "Mahomes' best receiver" for all that long.
He sits at sixth on the team in yards after catch per reception, indicating his ability to evade defenders on the ground after catches is limited.
Similarly, he stands at seventh in expected YAC/R and in average cushion, indicating he's not running elite routes. Serviceable, yes, but not earth-shaking.
But we're not talking about who we expect to be Mahomes' top receiver in two or three weeks, we're looking at the performance thus far. And Watson has been a reliable, foundational piece while some of the higher-ceiling receivers have struggled. His counting stats prove that, and even some of the advanced stats tilt his way for the time being.
Watson leads the team in average air yards (23.6) and makes up the leading share (35 percent) of the team's total air yards.
Eventually, MVS, Toney, and Moore are going to wake up and become the yardage leaders. Week 2 showed some signs of that already. And Travis Kelce, now that he has a game under his belt, is sure to be a mainstay, too. But Watson is a nice bedrock piece to a receiving corps that has desperately needed a heartbeat early in the season.
Nothing wrong with being steady and good.
