WR Sammy Watkins, BAL (2 Viewers)

Brisco54 said:

as well as finally be taught how to be a WR at the NFL level.

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tangfoot said:

What evidence do you have of this?  Do the Chiefs have a WR guru for a coach?

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zeeshan2 said:

Sammy Watkins didn’t finish today’s practice. Team is evaluating Watkins’ hip.

10:39 AM - Aug 6, 2018

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GroveDiesel said:

Oh boy. Not the first time his hip has been a problem.

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Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy said Sammy Watkins and Patrick Mahomes are "starting to sync."

"He’s accepted the challenge because we’re not just playing him at one position," Bieniemy said. "I know everybody wants to talk about what’s happening on the field on game day, but I will say this: Their communication, their rhythm is starting to sync." Watkins hasn't caught a pass in two preseason games and has been out-targeted by Tyreek Hill 6-3. The Chiefs have played Watkins in the slot on 9-of-22 (41%) snaps thus far, which would be a career-high rate if that carries over into the regular season. As it stands, Hill is still the clear-cut wideout to own in Kansas City.

Related: Chiefs

Source: Pro Football Talk 

Aug 23 - 9:22 AM

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ESPN Chiefs reporter Adam Teicher reports Sammy Watkins has had "perhaps his most productive week of practice."

Teicher's report comes the same day OC Eric Bieniemy said Watkins and Patrick Mahomes were "starting to sync." Watkins agrees. "As you see in practice, (Mahomes) threw some great balls, I caught great balls," Watkins said. "Hopefully that carries over in the game." Watkins is currently the WR30 by ADP. That feels high, though Watkins' upside in what should be a high-octane attack is undeniable.

Source: Adam Teicher on Twitter 

Aug 23 - 4:40 PM

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"Camp is all about finding your rhythm, making sure we get in sync together," offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy said. "Part of that process is making sure we're spending the right amount of time with each other but also giving [Mahomes and Watkins] an opportunity to link up a little bit more. When it's all said and done, Sammy is doing a heck of a job. He's doing a great job. He's accepted the challenge because we're not just playing him at one position. He's accepted the challenge of learning all three across the board. We want versatile football players.

"I know everybody wants to talk about what's happening on the field on game day, but I will say this: Their communication, their rhythm is starting to sync."

The Chiefs, who play on Saturday against the Bears in Chicago, are only halfway through their preseason. So Watkins, who signed a three-year, $48 million contract with $30 million guaranteed this offseason, has time to get to that place with Mahomes where Hill and Kelce already seem to be.

But the Chiefs can't afford to let the process drag out. It's difficult to see them reaching their full potential without a major contribution from Watkins.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid has insisted Watkins learn all of the receiving positions rather than master one spot before moving on to others. For now, that may be limiting his production.

"It takes a lot of reps," Kelce said of learning the playbook. "It takes a lot of focus and watching film. ... Once you've mastered [one] wide receiver position, now [Reid] is going to put you in the slot, he's going to put you in the backfield like he does with Tyreek."

Reid said, "Sammy is still working through the offense. I love his intensity on learning all the little, small things. We're moving him everywhere. You've seen that. We've got him in all the different spots. If you haven't seen it in a game, then you've seen it in practice. In practice [Mahomes and Watkins] have done some good things."

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Sammy Watkins doesn’t think he’s a reptile — at least not in the cold-blooded, scaly skin kind of way.

In April, though, the Chiefs wide receiver posted a tweet that suggested otherwise.

“I’m a whole different species,” he wrote, “I’m convince(d) I’m not a human, never was. I’m more like a advance reptilian solar being. I’m very powerful. It kinda scares me lol…”

But Watkins didn’t mean it literally. Instead, the tweet was meant to be a metaphor, requiring far more than 280 characters to explain.

“Just, you’ve got super powers,” he said recently. “You can have a baby. I can’t. So that’s kind of what I’m saying. You’ve got the nurturing aspect and then man got the physical ability, the strength. That’s kind of what I meant.

“You’ve got all different people. Different sizes, different beings. And we’re all not the same. We’re all different in different aspects. That’s what I wanted to touch on.”

Watkins is a master in abstract thought. Some of it is so out there that it’s downright hard to follow.

He’s always been a deep thinker, but it wasn’t until Watkins spent seven months in Orlando from January to July 2017 that he began to really think existentially.

Recovering from his second foot surgery in less than a year, Watkins pored over books and escaped down internet rabbit holes.

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Sitting in the balcony off his bedroom in his Orlando home last year, Watkins pondered his lot in life.

A star Clemson football player turned first-round NFL draft selection, Watkins was supposed to bring that instant it-factor to a nondescript Buffalo offense when he was taken with the fourth pick in 2014.

And for a while, he delivered.

He peaked during his second season in the NFL, putting up more than 1,000 receiving yards on 60 receptions in 2015.

But in the midst of that near-breakout season, the drama came: his demands for more targets, his public criticism of fans who doubted him, and eventually, his injuries.

The Bills missed the playoffs that season, and a malcontent fan base began lashing out at Watkins.

The 2016 season was even worse. After fracturing his foot in April, Watkins landed on injured reserve in September after a teammate stepped on the surgically repaired foot. He wound up missing eight games and put together the lowest offensive output (430 yards, two touchdowns) of his NFL career.

After that season, Watkins hit the reset button.

He had surgery in January 2017 to insert screws into his previously fractured foot and spent the next seven months in his Orlando home rehabilitating and thinking.

Described by Clemson coach Dabo Swinney as a homebody, Watkins spent most of his time around the house he bought the previous year, splitting his time between his bedroom and the balcony. “Every year I had surgery,” Watkins said. “My first year, my second year, my third year. My third surgery, I was like, ‘I’m going to sit down, I’m not going to mess this up. I’m not going to even walk on it. I’m just going to stay in the bed, stay in the house. Read books and just look up a lot of information.’ ”

He absorbed self-help books, paying special attention to passages that detailed the habits of successful people. He spent time on Google, looking for answers in the search engine.

Anything to promote a positive, unselfish mindset.

“At Clemson, I’m the guy,” he said. “Then I get in the NFL and I’m, like, the so-called bust and I’m getting hurt. You can become a negative person. I was that negative person, just coming to the line like, ‘I’m going to get hurt.’ and then eventually, it happens. I just had to change my whole mindset.”

To complete that process, Watkins had to isolate himself from the outside world. Living with his longtime girlfriend, now wife, and two children, Watkins evaluated his circle of friends. He spent time cocooned in his house, only leaving for doctor’s appointments and quick trips to visit family.

“I just had to get away from everybody,” Watkins said. “You get a lot of money, you get a lot of people coming at you, and as a kid at that time, you go, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.’ And then you start to say no, and you start to realize, like, ‘Oh (expletive),’ this is real. That’s kind of where I had to get away from everybody. My parents, my cousins, my friends, lost a lot of friends.

“I had to really get back to my old self and stop doing the stuff I was doing. Drinking and everything else. And I kind of found myself.”

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Sammy Watkins caught 6-of-7 targets for 100 yards in the Chiefs' Week 2 win over the Steelers, adding 31 yards on an end around.

The Chiefs made a point of getting Watkins going after his quiet Week 1, targeting him five times in the first 16 minutes. Despite the obvious intent, Watkins' usage did not feel forced. He was running fluidly in the Chiefs' high-octane attack. Watkins is going to be a feast-or-famine player behind Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce, but today serves as a good reminder of his unusual upside for a WR3/4.

Sep 16 - 5:33 PM

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dipandglide said:

about to prove a lot of people wrong 

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Sammy Watkins exited Week 4 against the Broncos with a hamstring injury.

Watkins exited midway through the first half after catching no passes on one target. Demarcus Robinson and Chris Conley will see increased reps behind Tyreek Hill for however long Watkins is out. He's questionable to return.

Oct 1 - 9:01 PM

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Faust said:

Sammy Watkins exited Week 4 against the Broncos with a hamstring injury.

Watkins exited midway through the first half after catching no passes on one target. Demarcus Robinson and Chris Conley will see increased reps behind Tyreek Hill for however long Watkins is out. He's questionable to return.

Oct 1 - 9:01 PM

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Sinn Fein said:

ruled out for the game

ETA:

Arrowhead Pride
@ArrowheadPride

#Chiefs announce Sammy Watkins will not return due to a hamstring injury.

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Sammy Watkins (hamstring) is practicing Wednesday.

It's unknown in what capacity, but we would assume Watkins is limited after pulling his hamstring Monday night early in the first half and being unable to return. However, this is a promising sign for his Week 5 availability against the Jaguars where he'll be a WR4 in an extremely tough matchup.

Source: Adam Teicher on Twitter 

Oct 3 - 12:55 PM

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joey said:

I despise Watkins almost as much a any player I’ve ever owned. Of course he was on my bench in 2 leagues. 

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zed2283 said:

He's been on my bench in the 3 weeks he's scored and in my lineup the 3 weeks he didn't do crap.

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joey said:

I guess this is the week I should try to sell him in the one dynasty league where I own him but I’m in last place (in no small part due to him). Sad thing is that he was supposed  to be the corner stone of my young study WR corps when I drafted him 1st overall a few years ago. Stupid Watkins. 

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joey said:

And it’s done.

Just sold Watkins for a 2019 late 1st. I don’t care if it’s the 1.12 pick. I’m glad he’s on someone else's roster. 

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dipandglide said:

That wasn’t very smart. He’s in a great offense, is just starting his prime, and is on pace for 1k yards. Gl with your late 1st.

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joey said:

I should mention it’s a 12 team, Keep only 12, league. I’ll let someone else figure out when not to bench him and I’ll move on to the next project. 

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dipandglide said:

I dunno all your league details, maybe it makes sense to trade him. 

The ship has sailed on him being a WR1. He's an awesome WR3 and solid WR2. If they keep peppering him with short targets he's going to have a nice floor/ceiling combo ROS. 

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