JuJu Smith-Schuster’s Return to Fantasy Football Stardom is Now
Do you know what Matthew Stafford, Cordarrelle Patterson and Deebo Samuel had in common last year? Yes, they were elite performing players at their respective positions, but more importantly, they all had something to prove. You need to start looking for guys like them because it’s going to transform your perspective in fantasy football. Players with something to prove have an edge over everybody else because they have more pressure and motivation to shine and make an impact. And the guy who embodies that this year is JuJu Smith-Schuster.
I’ve never seen a player go from being so loved to so hated in the span of a couple of years. In 2018, JuJu was on top of the world. Fans loved him; it seemed as if he could do no wrong both on and off the field in such little time in the league.
Now, fast forward four years later and many fans despise him, the Steelers dream team has been disbanded, and JuJu can’t stay healthy leading his production to trend downwards. Worst of all, he has gotten to a point where the media, public, and even those in the league are doubting what he can do now despite being only 25 years old.
But after signing a one-year max prove-it deal with one of the best offenses in the league, while also vowing to focus more on football and less on making TikToks, I’m ready to invest in him.
The Chiefs offense is a perfect fit for JuJu. He excels in short to intermediate passes and due to his larger frame, has the versatility to play both inside and outside which the Chiefs need. Many fans count out Juju because his production has been down lately, but it’s not as bad as it seems. Juju thrives at being the No. 2 option and his best years have come when he is one. For example, in 2018, when Smith-Schuster finished as the WR8, his counterpart, Antonio Brown, also finished as the WR5 — and they both excelled despite competing for the same targets.
Now, behind Travis Kelce, JuJu has the opportunity to produce similar results. The Chiefs also lose Tyreek Hill and several other targets, leading them to have the most vacated targets in the league at 345.
This means that any Chiefs WR can end up being a difference maker. While Tyreek’s role will surely be taken up by Marquez Valdes-Scantling and newly drafted Skyy Moore, JuJu will certainly still receive a good share of volume. He also gets a significant QB upgrade in Patrick Mahomes, which is a monumental improvement from what he dealt with in Pittsburgh alongside Ben Roethlisberger and Mason Rudolph.
Any wide receiver would be lucky to play within a Chiefs system. Head coach Andy Reid excels at getting the ball to his playmakers in creative ways. I believe JuJu still has the talent he’s shown major flashes of in previous seasons, which is why I’m 100% ready to take him at the insanely low ADP of WR37 in the 8th round and watch him exceed the low expectations everyone has placed around him. Simply put, if there was any time for JuJu to become that star he once was, it’s now.
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