Tyreek Hill Fantasy News and Statistics

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill was more well-known for his track-running ability out of high school as a USA Today All-American runner than as a football star. Regardless, he was more interested in a career on the gridiron and used his athleticism to stand out in college and ultimately get drafted by an NFL franchise.

There was not much interest in Hill at the Division I level for football, so he ended up going to Garden City Community College, where he would play football and run track. There, he proved he could handle the load of being a team’s No. 1 wide receiver. He had over 500 receiving yards his sophomore year and became an appealing Division I recruit out of junior college because of his blazing speed. Oklahoma State University was interested in his services for his junior and senior years, and he eventually became a Cowboy.

Head coach Mike Gundy and the Pokes used him as a running back and receiver in Stillwater. He was serviceable as both and had a 102-yard rushing performance against Kansas State in his first season. In all, he had over 500 rushing yards on about 100 carries. After his junior year, however, he was kicked out of school for domestic violence, so he enrolled at the University of West Alabama for his final collegiate campaign.

Hill resumed his role as an all-purpose athlete at the Division II level. He returned kicks and punts, went out for passes and rushed the ball. He averaged nearly 10 yards per carry on 24 rushes and 16.4 yards per catch on 27 grabs. Regardless of his athleticism, he did not have a monstrous year at the school due to a lack of opportunity, and he was not invited to the NFL Combine.

Hill’s troubled past and underwhelming college career led some teams to take him off of their draft boards completely. Even so, he impressed with his ability at West Alabama Pro Day, running a 4.29 40-yard dash, so the Kansas City Chiefs picked him in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft—and they were met with backlash from their fans because of it.

Initially, he was just the Chiefs punt returner, stuck behind veterans Jeremy Maclin, Chris Conley and Albert Wilson on the depth chart at receiver. Maclin missed four games due to injury, so that opened up opportunities for everyone else. Hill had a breakout game against the Indianapolis Colts, as he had five catches for 98 yards and touchdown. From there, his role as a receiver expanded. By the end of the year, he was second on the team with 61 catches for 593 yards, leading all receivers with six touchdown grabs.

With Maclin no longer on the Chiefs in 2017, there is more opportunity for everyone else in the wide receiver corps. Since Hill proved that he can handle the responsibility of being a team’s go-to wideout, he should be KC’s top target once again. It also helps that the Chiefs have Alex Smith, who is one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the league. As long as both of them are on the field, there is no reason why Hill should not be able to keep growing as a football player.