Week 11 NFL Moneyline Underdogs
Mike Randle
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There was never much question about whether the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs would be adding a receiver this offseason. It might have taken a day or two longer than expected, but they did finally land their big fish Thursday night, agreeing to terms with former Ravens and Cardinals WR Marquise Brown on a one-year deal.
Brown, who turns 27 in June, was a first-round pick of the Ravens in 2019. He’s only put up one 1,000-yard season in his career, and even then just barely, going for 1,008 in 2021. He’s had two seasons in the 700s and two in the 500s. After 6-plus touchdowns in each of his three seasons in Baltimore, Brown had 3 and 4 scores in his two years with the Cardinals, where injuries cost him multiple games each season.
He’ll become the third target in the Chiefs offense now, slotting in behind 2023 rookie Rashee Rice and future Hall of Fame TE Travis Kelce. Kelce’s age increases the chances he starts to decline, so the Chiefs definitely needed to add another adept pass-catcher this offseason, especially given the problems its subpar group caused last year. Patrick Mahomes can overcome a lot, but you don’t want your quarterback to have to overcome things if you can provide an alternative.
This just cements Mahomes as a top-three fantasy QB. Brown is probably just an upside bench option absent injuries to Rice and/or Kelce, but he is the type of receiver who can definitely offer spike weeks.
Meanwhile, Brown’s departure follows the Cardinals trading Rondale Moore to the Falcons earlier Thursday for a backup quarterback. With those guys gone, the top target for QB Kyler Murray is elite TE Trey McBride. Among receivers, the team has 2023 rookie Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch. That said, they are all but assured to take Ohio State product Marvin Harrison Jr. (or possibly Rome Odunze or Malik Nabers) with the fourth overall pick in the draft, assuming the first three picks all go to quarterbacks. McBride-Wilson-Dortch-an elite rookie receiver might not be the best receiver room in the league, but it should be serviceable enough. Expect whoever the Cardinals take at fourth overall to comfortably top 100 targets as a rookie and finish as a fantasy starter at receiver.
