Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (hamstring) was one of the hottest waiver wire targets. After the season-ending injury to fellow Chiefs WR Rashee Rice, Smith-Schuster caught seven passes for 130 yards in Week 6 against the New Orleans Saints. It was easily his biggest game of the season.
It appeared that the former Pittsburgh Steeler was being slotted into the role previously held by Rice, which is an immensely valuable role for fantasy football. A receiver with Patrick Mahomes II throwing to him around eight times per game should be rostered in all leagues.
Unfortunately, the 27-year old scored precisely zero points in Week 8, and it wasn't for lack of trying. He just wasn't healthy. So is JuJu Smith-Schuster still hurt or is he healthy now?
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JuJu Smith-Schuster Injury Update for Fantasy Football
The new potential star was dealing with a hamstring injury before the game, but was cleared for action and made the start. He went down with a re-aggravation of the same issue before logging a single target and wasn't able to return to the game, being declared as "OUT".
Here's a look at #Chiefs WR JuJu Smith-Schuster's hamstring injury from FOX's broadcast yesterday. Andy Reid says Smith-Schuster won't be ready for Week 8. pic.twitter.com/os2ykkaRFB
— Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) October 21, 2024
The coaching staff's handling of his injury situation is odd. He clearly appears to re-injure his hamstring here, when he falls down after running a simple crossing route. It's also a precautionary tale that you can't be too safe with hamstring issues. It's not known what happened inside the building, but the result wasn't great.
JuJu Smith-Schuster Fantasy Football Outlook for Week 8
Head coach Andy Reid stated that the receiver is already out for Week 8, when the Chiefs take on the Las Vegas Raiders. Smith-Schuster won't get a chance to continue his hot streak until a later date. It's unclear exactly how much time he will miss.
#Chiefs coach Andy Reid tells reporters that WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (right hamstring) will be out for this week's game against the #Raiders.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 21, 2024
The offense is becoming desperate for playmakers. They've now lost two of their top playmakers in the span of a couple of weeks, and the passing attack is suffering greatly because of it. When the eighth-year pro returns to the lineup, expect him to slot back into the role he had in Week 5. It may be a few weeks, though.
It's safe to assume that coach Reid and the medical staff will take every precaution to make sure he's 100% before having him return to the field. Reinjuring the same hamstring is a big concern, and the offense is in dire need of him to be absolutely healthy the next time he takes the field.
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