ScoutIndex

KC KC

Justin Watson

WR

Drafted 144th overall in the 5th round of the 2018 draft, Justin Watson arrived from Penn. He's currently with KC, in his 9th season in the league. He posted a 48.8 ScoutIndex Rating last season, an above-average mark that placed him in the 59th percentile among WRs. Few match his deep threat, which grades in the 100th percentile. Across 7 NFL seasons, he has totaled 90 catches for 1,352 yards and 9 touchdowns.

Size

6'2", 215#

College

Penn

Draft

Rd 5, 144th overall (2018)

Seasons

2018–2026

2022 ScoutIndex Rating · WR

Methodology
48.6

58th percentile among WRs

17 games · 34 targets

Role×0.14-1.37
Hands×0.1-0.10
Volume×0.12-0.20
Total EPA×0.22-0.07
EPA/target×0.3+0.19
Yards/target×0.12+0.86

2022 attribute card

click a row to see the formula
AthleticismReceivingRoleImpact

group averages

Athleticism

Speedno data▶

Percentile of 40-yard dash time among WRs at the NFL Combine (faster = higher), 2000–present.

Burstno data▶

Percentile of vertical jump + broad jump among combine WRs.

Agilityno data▶

Percentile of 3-cone + short shuttle among combine WRs (faster = higher).

Size78▶

Height/weight z-score vs. the WR cohort (from official bio, not combine-dependent).

Receiving

Hands2▶

Catch rate — receptions ÷ targets.

Deep Threat100▶

Average depth of target — receiving air yards ÷ targets.

YAC Ability44▶

Yards after catch ÷ reception.

Role

Target Share5▶

Share of the team's targets while on the field, target-weighted across the season.

Air-Yards Share37▶

Share of the team's total air yards, target-weighted across the season.

Impact

Efficiency63▶

Receiving EPA ÷ target — the Rating's largest component.

Volume56▶

Total targets this season.

Career (regular season)

SeasonTmSIGPass ydsPass TDRush ydsRush TDRecRec ydsRec TD
2025HOU45.23330
2024KC57.915222892
2023KC48.815274603
2022KC48.617153152
2020TB27.87794
2019TB43.79151592
2018TB37.3715

Career profile

Justin Watson has appeared in 73 regular-season games across 7 NFL seasons on file, playing for 3 teams: TB (2018–2020), KC (2022–2024), HOU (2025).

As a receiver he has caught 90 passes for 1,352 yards and 9 touchdowns. His most productive receiving season was 2023 with KC: 460 yards and 3 touchdowns in 15 games.

By the ScoutIndex Rating, his best qualified season was 2023: a 48.8, in the 59th percentile among WRs that year.

Career highs (regular season)

2022 splits

regular season
SplitGRecRec ydsRec TD
Home8
9
1.1/g
162
20/g
1
Away9
6
0.7/g
153
17/g
1
In division6
8
1.3/g
221
37/g
1
Out of division11
7
0.6/g
94
9/g
1
In wins14
14
1.0/g
300
21/g
2
In losses3
1
0.3/g
15
5/g
0
On grass12
10
0.8/g
229
19/g
1
On turf5
5
1.0/g
86
17/g
1
Indoors4
4
1.0/g
134
34/g
0
Outdoors13
11
0.8/g
181
14/g
2

2022 game log

WkOppLineScore
PostseasonJAX1 rec, 12 yds, 0 TD—
PostseasonPHI2 rec, 18 yds, 0 TD—
Week 1ARI—39.9
Week 2LAC2 rec, 50 yds, 1 TD64.3
Week 3IND—38.7
Week 4TB—40.4
Week 5LV1 rec, 10 yds, 0 TD47.1
Week 6BUF—41.2
Week 7SF1 rec, 4 yds, 1 TD46.6
Week 9TEN2 rec, 37 yds, 0 TD49.6
Week 10JAX1 rec, 12 yds, 0 TD46.8
Week 11LAC3 rec, 67 yds, 0 TD65.1
Week 12LAR2 rec, 26 yds, 0 TD52.2
Week 13CIN1 rec, 15 yds, 0 TD49
Week 14DEN—36.7
Week 15HOU—37.2
Week 16SEA—32.2
Week 17DEN1 rec, 27 yds, 0 TD37.9
Week 18LV1 rec, 67 yds, 0 TD66.4

Justin Watson — common questions

What position does Justin Watson play?
Justin Watson is listed as a WR.
Which teams has Justin Watson played for?
In the seasons on file (1999 onward), Justin Watson has played for TB (2018–2020), KC (2022–2024), HOU (2025).
Where did Justin Watson go to college?
Justin Watson played college football at Penn.
When was Justin Watson drafted?
Justin Watson was selected in round 5, 144th overall, of the 2018 NFL Draft.
How many touchdowns has Justin Watson scored?
Justin Watson has 9 touchdowns in the regular-season games on file (9 receiving).
What is Justin Watson's ScoutIndex Rating?
Justin Watson rated 45.2 for 2025, the 38th percentile among WRs (provisional or limited sample). Ratings run 0–99; about 60 is a league-average qualified starter.

Related players

Top teammates, last season on file

Drafted in round 5, 2018

Also from Penn