New England Patriots wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is on his third different team in three years. New England signed Smith-Schuster to a three-year, $25.5 million deal, and it hasn't been the best start for him in a Patriots uniform.
Smith-Schuster spent his 2022 season with the Kansas City Chiefs, catching 78 passes for 933 yards and three touchdowns. But that production might not be attainable for the wideout in his first season in New England.
JuJu Smith-Schuster Totals Just 28 Yards In Week 2 https://t.co/DWm2aAKPAh
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— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) September 18, 2023
Should I drop Smith-Schuster in fantasy? What did he do last week? Let's take a closer look.
What Did Juju Smith-Schuster Do In Week 2?
It hasn't been an easy switch for Smith-Schuster in New England. There have been reports that his knee could explode at any point this season and that the team doesn't view him as a top-one, two, three, or four option in the passing game for quarterback Mac Jones.
The #Patriots signed JuJu Smith-Schuster to be their No. 1 WR.
After he sat out Sunday's 2-minute drill, team sources said they don't presently see him as the No. 1.
Or No. 2. Or No. 3. Or ...Why the #Patriots JuJu question won't be going away. Column:https://t.co/DauBP75Bbl pic.twitter.com/i2nbYjZHzj
— Andrew Callahan (@_AndrewCallahan) September 14, 2023
In the first two weeks, the latter has certainly proved that. Smith-Schuster played just 54% of the team snaps in Week 1 while catching four passes for 33 yards. Last week, it wasn't much better as the 26-year-old caught five passes for just 28 yards on 44 offensive snaps.
It's apparent Smith-Schuster is not heavily involved so far on offense. He has just nine catches for 61 yards in two weeks and has played less than 45 snaps in both games.
Can I Drop Juju Smith-Schuster in Fantasy Football?
Smith-Schuster has been quiet out of the gate in fantasy football, and he might not be a consistent piece in 2023. Jones has been known to spread the ball around on offense, and with the wideout's limited usage through two weeks, he can be dropped in most 10-12-team leagues.
The Patriots wideout has finished with 5.3 half-PPR fantasy points in back-to-back weeks and finds himself currently as the WR71. That's lower than Green Bay Packers fifth-round rookie Dontayvion Wicks, Chicago Bears wide receiver Chase Claypool, and Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Justin Watson. Even if Smith-Schuster picks it up, he just doesn't have much upside in this New England offense.
JuJu Smith-Schuster said his knee is "100%".
— Underdog NFL (@Underdog__NFL) September 15, 2023
If you still want to keep Smith-Schuster on your roster, he should not start unless in dire situations in Week 3. However, with plenty of waiver wire options to pick up this week, he should likely be dropped for other wide receivers like Tank Dell, Tutu Atwell, or Josh Reynolds.
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