Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr. has a chance to end on a high note what has easily been his least effective season in Week 18 against the Los Angeles Chargers. In nine games over time also with the New York Jets, Hardman has cobbled together nine catches on 13 targets for 47 scoreless yards. Rashee Rice (hamstring) will take a seat on Sunday, with Travis Kelce likely operating on a shortened snap count to boot. Hardman returned to run two routes in last Sunday's home win over the Cincinnati Bengals after a five-game hiatus due to surgery for a sprained thumb, but he could be forced into an amplified role in his second contest back on the field. The speedy 25-year-old is a candidate to frequently occupy three-receiver sets for head coach Andy Reid in the regular-season finale, but Hardman is still a low-floor fantasy bet given his weak production overall.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Justin Watson looks set for an expanded role in the regular-season finale versus the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chiefs have ruled out top wideout Rashee Rice (hamstring) for Week 18, and Travis Kelce probably won't be out there for his usual amount of playing time. 2023 has easily been Watson's most productive season, banking career-high figures in targets (52), catches (27), yards (460), and touchdowns (three). The 27-year-old's calling card is his ability as a vertical threat, ranking second in the league in average yards of target distance (17.8) and fifth in yards per reception (17.0). Watson has played just 52.3% of K.C.'s offensive snaps this year, but he could be in line for his largest workload as a dart-throw DFS option with the team shorthanded on Sunday.

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.

Cleveland Browns running back Kareem Hunt (groin) missed practice on Wednesday but was upgraded to a full session by Friday and is listed without an injury designation heading into a Week 18 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. Whether Hunt actually plays on Sunday against the Bengals remains to be seen as the Browns already have the No. 5 seed in the AFC locked up and don't have much motivation to put their key players in harm's way. Although they haven't officially announced it, both Hunt and Jerome Ford are candidates to sit out of action in Week 18. If that does happen, Pierre Strong Jr. would be elevated to the lead role against a Cincinnati defense that is allowing the 14th-most fantasy points per game to running backs this season, making him an interesting name for DFS contests. Stay tuned.