After three seasons in Baltimore and two in Arizona, wide receiver Marquise Brown signs with the Kansas City Chiefs for year six. Brown signed a one-year deal worth 11 million dollars earlier this week.
Brown, 26, is coming off a mediocre 2023 season that saw a career-low in receiving yards. Arizona did not have starting quarterback Kyler Murray for majority of the season which crippled the offense all-together. Still, the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs were still all-in on Brown after the free-agency frenzy died-down.
A Much Needed Deep-Threat for the Chiefs
Kansas City let go of Marquez Valdes-Scantling weeks ago and seemingly replaced that deep-threat ability with Brown.
Brown’s speed and ability to create separation make him another intriguing weapon for quarterback Patrick Mahomes. At this point in Kansas City’s dynasty-run, they have to work smarter and not harder.
Travis Kelce is still in town and is Mahomes main target. However with his age and production decline, Kansas City has to find other ways to win.
Brown is already a proven pass-catcher and can make plays over the middle, giving Mahomes an easy target. Ex-Chief Tyreek Hill was a threat down-the-field and over the middle years ago. While Brown is not on the level of Hill, talent-wise, he can give this team an ounce or two of what Hill did. That in itself ignites this team.
Fantasy Football Impact
Mahomes averaged a career-low in fantasy points (280 in standard-format) in 2024. With an addition such as Brown could improve this offense as a whole.
Brown is currently ranked as the WR40 behind Carolina’s Diontae Johnson and Minnesota’s Jordan Addison, going into 2024. However in his new situation, you can expect that to improve as the season-opener approaches.
In Kansas City, Brown immediately steps into the battle for the teams’ No.1 receiver role with Rashee Rice. Although Rice shows signs of future stardom, Brown’s wider sample size might give him the nod over Rice as Mahomes’ number one receiver.
His fantasy status could be in the low-end WR2 range due to the pieces around him possibly making him a weekly hit-or-miss player. However, his “hit” value would be too high to pass on him during drafts.
Brown’s best season (2021 with Baltimore), came when he played all 16 games on a dynamic offense. Now in Kansas City, Brown has the leagues’ best QB, a great coaching staff and a winning culture around him. Brown could be in for his career-best season.
What Marquise Brown Leaves Behind
With Brown leaving Arizona and Rondale Moore being traded to Atlanta, the Cardinals are now desperate for talent at WR.
Luckily for them, this years’ class of WR is stacked with talent. This could not of been more of a convenient time to lose a guy like Brown.
With the WR class in this years’ draft being one of the best in recent memory, likely Arizona brings on a new No.1 target for Kyler.
Hypothetically speaking, if Arizona drafts a guy like Marvin Harrison Jr or Malik Nabers, either would immediately improve this WR room. From a fantasy perspective, Harrison Jr. or Nabers would be comfortably in the top 40 range among fantasy WRs.
Ultimately, if Kyler Murray remains healthy, Coach Jonathan Gannon keeps trusting his guys and a stud rookie WR in this mix, the team can be competitive.
Seemingly, Brown could follow in former Kansas City receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster’s footsteps and play on a one-year deal with Kansas City. Schuster was able to earn a multi-year contract the following year (Patriots) and the same could happen for Brown. First though, he will make countless highlights alongside Mahomes and company.
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Desmond Ordonez is an avid sports fan and resides in Boise, Idaho. Desmond frequently covers NFL and NBA news. Follow him on Twitter at @des_ordo21. Check out all the great content Total Apex Sports has to offer. Check us out on X @TotalApexSports and our other sites: Total Apex Sports Bets and Total Apex Fantasy Sports.
