4 Underrated Free Agent Wide Receivers Who Could Be Stars in Kansas City

Reports emerged on Tuesday that Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is restructuring his contract to give the team $21.6 million more cap space. The Chiefs can use the new cash to address several holes on the roster, especially when it comes to the wide receiver room.

With Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Mecole Hardman hitting free agency, Kansas City's wideout depth is lacking. Rashee Rice was great in his rookie year while Skyy Moore and Justin Watson showed promise now and then, however, names Justyn Ross and Kadarius Toney don't exactly inspire confidence.

Free agency is fully underway and, fortunately, there are several WRs that the Chiefs could add. Here's a look at four wideouts who could be stars in Kansas City. The Chiefs are +650 to win next year's Super Bowl but those odds could quickly shrink by making one of these moves.

1. WR Curtis Samuel

Curtis Samuel is one of those underrated WRs who can do it all in gadget-like fashion.

Playing his career between the Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders, Samuel has found success through the air and on the ground. The ex-Ohio State Buckeye has racked up 3,383 receiving yards and 715 rushing yards with a total of 29 touchdowns over 91 career games.

With head coach Andy Reid's creative mind, it's exciting to imagine how Samuel could be used in Kansas City's offense. He's recorded 600 receiving yards in back-to-back campaigns with the Commanders, but that was with the likes of Carson Wentz, Taylor Heinicke, and Sam Howell throwing him the ball.

With Mahomes as his quarterback, I could easily see Samuel surpassing his career-high of 851 receiving yards he tallied with the Panthers in 2020.

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2. WR Marquise Brown

Marquise "Hollywood" Brown is another player who could take his game to the next level with Mahomes throwing him the ball.

Drafted 25th overall by the Baltimore Ravens in 2019, Brown has had a solid NFL career thus far. He's tallied over 3,600 yards and 28 TDs across five seasons with his best performance coming with the Ravens in 2021 when he turned 91 receptions into 1,008 yards and six touchdowns.

Brown cashed in on his career year by signing with the Arizona Cardinals in 2022 but didn't come close to matching his personal best performance. Injuries played a role in those shortcomings as the Hollywood, FL native posted a 118-1,283-7 stat line in 26 games over two seasons with the Cardinals.

Having said that, joining the Chiefs could turn his career around. Mahomes has a cannon of an arm that would be the perfect match for Brown's blistering speed. Watching the duo connect would be quite the treat — especially if the veteran wideout can remain healthy.

Considering how Brown is only 26 years old, I wouldn't be shocked if playing with Mahomes would see him surpass his previous career highs.

3. WR Parris Campbell

The 2022 campaign was a career year for Parris Campbell. The oft-injured wideout had his best campaign to date with the Indianapolis Colts, hauling in 63 of his 91 targets for 623 yards and a trio of TD catches. He then tested free agency the following offseason, opting to sign a one-year deal with the New York Giants.

Unfortunately, Campbell's 2023 performance was quite underwhelming. The former 2019 second-rounder couldn't get much going in the Giants' anemic attack, finishing with 102 receiving yards without a touchdown on 20 catches. The lack of production wasn't all his fault, though, as the Giants used him only 27% of offensive snaps after playing 85% with the Colts in the previous year.

It also didn't help that the Giants had one of the worst offenses in the NFL, which isn't a problem in Kansas City. Mahomes knows how to get the ball to his weapons and if Campbell has another healthy year, I could see him finishing with anywhere from 600 to 800 yards.

Like Brown, Campbell is also 26 years old and should be in his physical prime. He's always had a ton of potential, leaving time to tell if he can realize that in Kansas City.

4. WR Olamide Zaccheaus

Olamide Zaccheaus is another wideout who didn't get much of a chance to shine with his last team. After all, the Philadelphia Eagles limited him to a 41% offensive snap share across 17 games, resulting in the ex-Virginia playmaker only recording 10 receptions for 164 yards and a pair of TDs.

While Zaccheaus' output wasn't anything special, his underlying stats prove that he's capable of more. For starters, the 26-year-old still averaged a personal-best 16.4 yards per reception. Although it came on a small sample size (10 receptions, 20 targets), it still would've ranked second-best on the Chiefs last season.

Zaccheaus has also drawn a triple-digit passer rating when targeted in three of the last five seasons, which includes yielding a rating of 111.2 in 2023.

Again, it's a small sample to go off of, however, it's worth noting that Hardman and Valdez-Scantling drew passer ratings of 41.5 and 73.0, respectively, with the Chiefs last season, highlighting how Zaccheaus is a potential upgrade over the duo.

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