Kadarius Toney’s injury history is well-documented and remains the biggest obstacle to him becoming the Chiefs’ No. 1 wide receiver. Unfortunately, those concerns persist after Toney tweaked his knee on the first official day of training camp.
#Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney, who suffered a knee injury over the weekend, was not spotted on the field by media today during practice.
— Fantasy Footballers (@TheFFBallers) July 24, 2023
Via @adamteicher pic.twitter.com/60JvM6KLVo
Injuries limited Toney to just 19 games through his first two seasons, and a lingering knee issue could be a problem for a team with little depth at the position.
Toney has shown game-breaking ability when he’s on the field, best displayed when he returned a punt 65 yards in the Super Bowl, setting a record. That being said, it’ll be impossible for the team to trust him long-term if he can’t stay healthy.
Kadarius Toney Injury Concerns
Kansas City has invested in the wide receiver room the last couple of seasons, acquiring Toney via trade while using a pair of second-round draft picks on Rashee Rice and Skyy Moore. The club signed Marquez Valdes-Scantling to a three-year deal as well and the team is also optimistic about younger players like Justyn Ross.
Toney was meant to be the leader of the room though, and the Chiefs made it a point to get him involved when he was on the field. The issue, disappointingly, is Toney’s inability to consistently play.
Kadarius Toney was a 1st round pick in 2021.
— Matthew Betz (@TheFantasyPT) July 23, 2023
Injuries since then:
- Hamstring x3
- Ankle x2
- Quad
- Oblique
- Knee scope
- Foot
- Now a minor knee injury in camp https://t.co/VXJleqRiES
We’ve seen players in the past suffer nagging injuries early before sustaining successful careers, but such a long list of problems is a big concern for a player of Toney’s stature and style.
He depends on lightning-quick acceleration and impressive balance, skills that diminish with frequent lower-body issues. While the severity of this particular ailment isn’t yet clear, it’s a bad sign for Toney’s prospects to last the entire year.
Chiefs’ WR Kadarius Toney — who underwent an off-season cleanup procedure on his knee — aggravated the injury Sunday while fielding a punt and is expected to miss some time during training camp but be ready for the start of the regular season, per league source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 24, 2023
He’s expected to be ready for the start of the season. Even still, it’s difficult to feel confident that Toney plays all 17 games.
That could make this a wise time to invest in Skyy Moore and Marquez Valdes-Scantling in fantasy football and season-long player props. If Toney misses regular-season time, those two would be the largest beneficiaries.
Toney is one of the more unique talents in the NFL. The only question is if he’ll be able to showcase his true ability by avoiding these nagging injuries.