When Will Mecole Hardman Jr. Return and Be Back? Fantasy Football Injury Update

Mecole Hardman Jr. has had an interesting season, but not a very productive one for fantasy footballers.

Hardman Jr. signed with the New York Jets in the offseason to be part of a revamped receiving corps that was supposed to be buoyed by Aaron Rodgers’ pinpoint passes. One drive into the season, however, Rodgers’ tore his Achilles, and Hardman Jr.’s fantasy value went from mediocre to minimal.

Hardman Jr. was eventually traded back to the receiver-starved Kansas City Chiefs so he could have a second go-round with the Super Bowl champs. He has had to fight for targets and time with the other average-at-best wideouts on the roster, though. Now Hardman Jr. has a thumb injury that kept him off the field in Week 12. What is the time frame for Hardman’s return? Here is the latest:

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When Will Mecole Hardman Jr. Return?

Well, Hardman Jr. will not be back for at least a few more weeks. He was placed on injured reserve before Kansas City’s Week 12 contest, so he is not allowed to be activated until the Chiefs play in Week 16. And it is no guarantee he will be ready to go when that day comes.

This really should not matter much to fantasy managers. Hardman Jr. has been a non-factor in 2023. He has nine receptions for 47 yards. Those are the numbers third-string tight ends put up. Hardman Jr. also has one carry for three yards. The versatile playmaker has averaged 6.1 yards per carry during his career and scored two touchdowns on the ground last season.

Hardman Jr.’s role is up in the air if and when he returns towards the end of the season. The fact of the matter is that he should be dropped in all fantasy leagues where he is currently rostered, and I would be shocked if he was rostered in 10 percent of leagues at this juncture. Hopefully things turn out better for Hardman Jr. in 2024, whether he is a member of the Chiefs or another organization. He has found a niche as a speedster who can make plays on screens, sweeps, and fly patterns. Hardman Jr. might not be overly useful in fantasy formats, but he is a solid supporting cast player in the NFL.

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