Sammy Watkins Needs to Prove He's a Top Wideout Amid Tyreek Hill's Uncertain Future

Due to the troubling abuse allegations Tyreek Hill is currently facing, the Kansas City Chiefs can't be sure that the wideout will play in 2019. The expectation is he will be suspended for several weeks, but of course, the show must go on for this Kansas City squad regardless.

With Hill expected to miss at least a good chunk off the season, other Chiefs receivers will need to step up and catch bombs from quarterback Patrick Mahomes. And one of them in particular is up for the challenge.

Sammy Watkins is preparing himself to be the Chiefs' top receiver in 2019. He must prove that he can step into the spotlight and withstand the pressure, something he has been inconsistent in trying to do over the course of his four-year career.

Coming out of college at Clemson, Watkins was a primer wideout and a tantalizing prospect. Drafted by Buffalo in the first round as the fourth overall pick, Watkins has yet to live up to the hype that comes with being drafted so high.

One reason the 25-year-old has not lived up to the hype is that he's been bit by the injury bug way too often, including in 2018, his first year with KC. He missed much of the second half of the season, and he didn't return until the Chiefs' losing effort in the AFC Championship against New England.

If Watkins wants to have a pivotal year for the Chiefs, it's important he stays healthy on the field. That is going to be the biggest question. In so many ways, this year is an important one for Watkins-- if he can perform at the level his talent seemed to promise, the rest of the NFL will be forced to take notice.