Kadarius Toney certainly didn't have the greatest start to his first full season with the Kansas City Chiefs, making several key drops in a Week 1 loss to the Detroit Lions.
But that didn't stop Patrick Mahomes from targeting the former New York Giant in Week 2. In fact, the reigning NFL MVP targeted Toney five times in the Chiefs' 17-9 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, tied for the second-most on the team with Justin Watson. Only the returning Travis Kelce had more with nine.
Thankfully for the Kansas City faithful, Toney didn't have any of the issues that plagued him on opening night, at least in terms of catching the football. While none of his receptions could be considered sexy, he caught every pass thrown in his direction, averaging seven yards per catch.
He did fumble once but recovered it quickly, costing himself and those who have him on their fantasy football roster some yardage.
Chiefs: Kadarius Toney looks as-promised in bounce-back Week 2
Overall, however, Toney looked solid and proved exactly why the Chiefs traded for him in the first place. Yes, he was off against the Lions. But one must remember that he missed the entire preseason after suffering a partially torn meniscus in his right knee mere minutes before the Chiefs' first official practice.
Has he been the big weapon Andy Reid thought he could be this season just yet? No, he hasn't. But he showed flashes of brilliance in the win over Jacksonville, specifically on a first-quarter catch in which he turned a five-to-seven-yard play into a 20-yard gain, using his speed and agility to up his yards-after-catch (YAC) stats.
In fact, per Next Gen Stats, Kadarius Toney ranks fifth in the NFL after two weeks in YAC/Reception, averaging 9.4, trailing only Garrett Wilson, George Pickens, Mike Evans, and Jaylen Waddle. And he sits second in Expected YAC/Reception at 9.8, trailing only Wilson.
How's that for getting back on track?
In addition, Toney ranks fourth among receivers in Average Separation at 5.5 yards, trailing only K.J. Osborn, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and John Bates, which means he's doing a great job at getting himself open by running his routes beautifully.
So, as long as he can continue to catch the football, a problem he seems to have corrected, Toney could be in store for a fantastic year. Because if you're open, Patrick Mahomes will find you.
The only issue with Toney heading into the Chiefs' matchup with the Chicago Bears is his left foot, which Andy Reid says was "bothering him a little bit" against the Jags. But assuming that heals up quickly, No.19 could be in for a big Week 3.
