Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (illness) will return from a one-game absence in Week 18 versus the Los Angeles Chargers. Edwards-Helaire missed Week 17's win over the Cincinnati Bengals with an illness, clearing the way for Isiah Pacheco (quadriceps/shoulder) to take on a heavy 92.3% snap share. But with Pacheco questionable to play on Sunday, Edwards-Helaire could be thrust back into a featured role if K.C.'s lead back cannot give it a go. Jerick McKinnon (groin) is on injured reserve, leaving La'Mical Perine as the next man up behind Edwards-Helaire on the Chiefs' depth chart. In two games without Pacheco this season, CEH rounded up 169 total yards and one touchdown on 30 touches. The 24-year-old former first-rounder is volatile in a game of no consequence for the Chiefs but should be deemed RB2/3 playable, considering Pacheco may only receive a slight workload even if he suits up.

There was some uncertainty surrounding Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce's (neck) status against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 18 due to a neck injury, but he was cleared from Friday's injury report after a week of limited practice sessions. Sunday represents a meaningless game in relation to K.C.'s playoff positioning -- they are locked into the AFC's No. 3 seed -- but Kelce is still 16 yards away from attaining his eighth consecutive 1,000-yard campaign. The 34-year-old eight-time Pro Bowler will be catching passes from backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert in the regular-season finale, and it would seem unlikely that Kelce plays a full complement of snaps in this contest. Kelce is still the type of fantasy player who deserves must-start treatment in season-long leagues whenever he is active, but his DFS expectations particularly need to be tempered under these circumstances. Treat him as a risk/reward TE1 proposition.

New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe remains off the fantasy radar for Week 18 versus the New York Jets. A variety of factors make Zappe an unappealing option ahead of Sunday's season finale. First of all, the Jets, despite enduring significant dysfunction this season, have a very strong secondary. New York is averaging the third-fewest fantasy points allowed per game in 2023, making it unlikely that Zappe, who has looked inconsistent through five starts, will have any fantasy relevance. Furthermore, the forecast for this game calls for heavy snow, rain, and wind, which makes it very difficult to execute a good passing attack. The odds are stacked against Zappe this week, keeping him in the QB3 tier for fantasy purposes.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (quad, shoulder) is expected to suit up in Week 18, according to head coach Andy Reid. The young back was limited during the final two days of practice this week. Pacheco is officially listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Reid says that Pacheco is going to play, but it seems like a bad idea to have Pacheco play in a meaningless game. The Chiefs are already locked into the third seed, which gives them no incentive to play their starters. Possibly, Pacheco sees a limited amount of snaps just to keep him fresh. DFS players should probably look elsewhere for help this weekend.

The Kansas City Chiefs have ruled out wide receivers Rashee Rice (hamstring) and Kadarius Toney (hip) for the Week 18 regular season finale against the Los Angeles Chargers. With the No. 3 seed in the AFC already locked up, the Chiefs will also be resting quarterback Patrick Mahomes and offensive tackle Donovan Smith (neck). It means that a Chiefs offense that has been less than stellar this year is going to be even weaker for a meaningless contest this weekend against the Bolts. The 23-year-old Rice should be good to go for the wild-card round next week. Toney, meanwhile, will miss his third straight game, although he, too, should be ready to roll next week for the start of the postseason. With Rice and Toney out on Sunday, Justin Watson, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Mecole Hardman Jr, Justyn Ross and Richie James should all be more involved.