Kansas City Chiefs

The Las Vegas Raiders defense/special teams scored six fantasy points largely by sacking Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes five times in a 19-17 loss on Friday. Pass-rush specialists Maxx Crosby and K'Lavon Chaisson were able to exploit mismatches with the Chiefs' struggling exterior offensive linemen. However, this doesn't move the needle much for the unit for the rest of 2024 in fantasy football. They still struggle to stop opposing offenses from scoring. The heavily ball-control focused Chiefs offense scored 19 points, which isn't a ton, but LV wasn't able to force a single turnover, making it difficult for them to rack up points on fantasy scoreboards. They'll face an elite Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense in Week 14 and shouldn't be started in fantasy leagues.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (leg) is officially back ahead of Friday's Week 13 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Pacheco is back on the field for the first time since Week 2. It was uncertain coming into this game if Pacheco would be limited or not considering he hasn't played in months. The Chiefs have said that Pacheco will be a full-go for Friday's game. Fantasy managers should feel good about getting Pacheco back in their lineups for this favorable matchup. Kareem Hunt will see his value take a hit with Hunt back in the mix. It remains to be seen how much Hunt will be involved going forward.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy will face the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 13. Worthy was a crucial cog in the Kansas City passing attack against the Carolina Panthers in Week 12. The rookie receiver had four catches for 46 yards against the Panthers. Worthy has had four catches in the last two games and will look to continue that streak against the Raiders, who rank 12th in fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers this season. Worthy's speed makes him a threat to break off a big play at any moment, but Patrick Mahomes has struggled to connect with him downfield. Nevertheless, the duo should continue to take shots deep down the field, and Worthy could deliver a week-winning performance. The 21-year-old is ranked WR50 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings, making him an optional flex start this week. Fantasy managers looking for a big performance should have Worthy in their lineups but also be aware that his floor is very low.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins will face the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 13. Hopkins performed well against the Carolina Panthers in Week 12, finishing the game with five catches for 35 yards and a touchdown. The score saved his week, but fantasy managers likely want to see more volume. The 32-year-old will look to turn it around this week against the Las Vegas Raiders, who rank 12th in fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers this season. Travis Kelce has been the focal point of the Kansas City passing attack, leaving the rest of the pass catchers to split up the remaining pass attempts. Given his talent and reliability, Hopkins should remain an option in the red zone forward. Hopkins is ranked WR32 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings this week. Fantasy managers should start Hopkins as a WR3 this week based on his matchup and touchdown upside.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt will take on the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 13. Hunt was on the injury report this week with a toe injury but practiced fully all week and does not have an injury designation for this week's game. Hunt had 16 carries for 68 yards and three catches for 19 yards against the Panthers in Week 12. Despite his strong workload, Hunt could not find the endzone for the third straight game. The 29-year-old will now have to deal with the return of Isiah Pacheco in Week 13. Pacheco was the undisputed lead runner out of the backfield before breaking his leg in Week 2. It will be interesting to see how the backfield split shakes out in Pacheco's first game back, but Hunt's value will undoubtedly take a hit against the Raiders this week. The Raiders rank 21st in fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs this season, making them an advantageous matchup for Hunt. Hunt is ranked RB25 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings, landing him outside of RB2 territory for most leagues. The veteran running back will try to retain his role in the valuable Kansas City backfield, but fantasy managers should prepare if he takes a backseat to Pacheco.