Mecole

Hardman

Hardman got banged up in Week 9 but returned to catch three passes for 17 yards. The gadget receiver will continue seeing a handful of schemed touches a week but is not on the fantasy radar heading into Week 10.

Hardman took a hard hit on the sidelined in the first quarter of Week 9’s matchup with Tampa Bay and was listed as questionable to return because of a shoulder injury. He made his way back onto the field in the second half and caught three balls for 17 yards. With first-round rookie Xavier Worthy struggling, Hardman will continue to see a few designed plays per week as a part-time player.

Hardman departed in the first quarter following a hard fall on the sidelines on a punt return, initially listed as questionable to return. He would start the second half with the team and eventually secure all three targets for a modest 17 yards. He also saw a red zone carry that was called back for offensive holding. Even so, Hardman’s fantasy utility in an offense now with DeAndre Hopkins is fleeting, at best.

Hardman fell awkwardly on his shoulder on a punt return in the first quarter and was slow to get up, eventually being taken to the locker room with the training staff for further evaluation. Hardman was not targeted prior to departing.

Smith-Schuster left Sunday’s win over the 49ers with a right hamstring injury, and the wideout will miss at least one more contest with the issue. With the 27-year-old unavailable, it makes Xavier Worthy the top wide receiver in the passing attack, and should lead to more targets for players like Mecole Hardman and Skyy Moore.

Hardman took a carry to the house from 20 yards out in the second half against a reeling Niners defense. Hardman would have had another score — a receiving touchdown reminiscent of his game winner in last year’s Super Bowl — had he not slipped off the line of scrimmage. We could see Hardman’s role in the run-first KC offense grow next week against the Raiders if JuJu Smith-Schuster (hamstring) is sidelined. He ran just 11 routes on 33 Chiefs drop backs against the 49ers.

Hardman exhibited solid progression in practice this week, going from a ‘DNP’ on Thursday, to a limited participant Friday, to a full practice Saturday. That should theoretically give him a solid chance of suiting up against the Saints on Monday Night Football, with final word to come 90-minutes prior to the team’s kickoff.

Hardman remaining active for the preseason finale bodes negatively for his chances of meaningfully contributing in the regular season but he’s done it before. He added a 43-yard kickoff return. Hardman is likely just a contrarian DFS option this year.

Hardman split 2023 between the Jets and Chiefs, totaling 15 receptions for 124 scoreless yards in the regular season. Hardman’s biggest moment came in the Super Bowl when he found the end zone on a three-yard pass from Patrick Mahomes for a walk-off touchdown to down the 49ers 25-22. Hardman’s offensive production has dropped off significantly over the last two years, and he shouldn’t be considered a lock to make the 53-man roster. However, his experience on special teams in a league that’s hoping to have more kick returns in 2024 could add to his value.

According to Hughes, “several players” implied Hardman leaked game plans to opponents while he was a member of the Jets. This is rumored to have stemmed from Hardman being “frustrated by his lack of usage.” For now, all of this is nothing more than speculation from players, as nothing has officially been confirmed by Hardman or members of the Eagles or Chiefs. Hardman recently put himself in the crosshairs of tampering speculation when Hardman said he contacted the Chiefs earlier in the season and told them to “come get him,” but he later said he never had talks with the Chiefs before being traded. Whether anything comes from these recent stories is to be determined, but it’s been a busy week for the three-time Super Bowl champ.