PFF names Chiefs’ most underrated player

Pro Football Focus’ Anthony Treash named the most underrated player for each NFL team on Thursday. When it came to the Kansas City Chiefs, that player was rookie wide receiver Mecole Hardman.

TREASH: The 5’10” speedster, Mecole Hardman, has been exactly what we expected during his rookie campaign: a guy who can create after the catch better than most in the league. On his 32 targets, Hardman has generated a league-best passer rating of 153.6; he’s also broken the seventh-most broken tackles (8) and produced a yards-after-the-catch average that’s two yards higher than any other wide receiver.

In 11 games this season, Hardman has 23 receptions for 450 yards and five touchdowns — his most recent two weeks ago against the Tennessee Titans.

“It was a great route by Mecole,” Mahomes said last week before highlighting Hardman’s development. “A route that he probably wouldn’t have been able to run at the beginning of this year and it shows that he’s progressing and getting better every single week. I think just keeping the excitement of the game and enjoying it is always important.”

The Chiefs have said that they see Hardman as their next super-threat at the punt returner position — in a sense similar to what wide receiver Tyreek Hill brings to the table. That, of course, remains to be seen.

“He’s still developing,” said special teams coordinator Dave Toub on November 15. “You see him still making some mistakes sometimes. It’s plain as day — everybody sees it, but he’s getting better. His confidence is building, and he sees it when he watches the tape and he sees what he could have did better. And he’s very receptive to it. And he wants to be great, and he will be great.”

Some have speculated that the Chiefs felt they had to take Hardman with their 56th overall pick in the second round because of the offseason uncertainty surrounding Hill. True or not, the move has mostly worked out.

Despite mistakes here and there, so far, Hardman has looked the part.

If no, let us know who you think it is below.