Kansas City Chiefs DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (ankle, toe), who was listed as questionable for Sunday's AFC Championship game against the Baltimore Ravens due to an ankle injury, will play, according to a source. Pacheco is also dealing with a sprained toe and did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday, but he was able to return to practice on Friday on a limited basis and will play this weekend. The 24-year-old second-year back isn't expected to be limited at all against Baltimore, although the matchup on the road against the best defense in the NFL will make things difficult for KC's primary running back. One thing is for certain: Pacheco should continue to see a heavy workload as one of the key cogs in this Chiefs offense. He has averaged 22 touches for 121.3 scrimmage yards in his last three games, giving him a high fantasy floor.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Justin Watson watched as fellow vertical threat Marquez Valdes-Scantling came down with two 30-yard passes in last Sunday's 27-24 Divisional Round win on the road over the Buffalo Bills, getting held catchless for the fourth time in 18 appearances in total during 2023. Watson has reached the 60-yard mark only once this year, and he remains just a Hail Mary fantasy proposition after placing third in average depth of target (17.5) and fifth in yards per reception (17.0) among wideouts in the regular season. Even though Skyy Moore (knee) is out and Kadarius Toney (hip) is questionable for Sunday's AFC Championship matchup with the Baltimore Ravens, the likes of Watson and Valdes-Scantling are still unlikely to receive more than one deep target apiece in low-volume roles based on their season norms. Neither are reliable bets but remain possible leverage plays in single-game DFS showdowns.

After six weeks in a row of scoring double-digit PPR fantasy points, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice cooled down in the Divisional Round triumph over the Buffalo Bills for his fewest targets and catches (four) as well as yards (47) since Week 7. Despite being primarily covered by backup cornerback Dane Jackson against Buffalo's injury-ravaged defense, Rice was unable to overcome a low-volume game out of K.C.'s offense in total plays (47). The second-round rookie has a chance to bounce back in Sunday's AFC Championship meeting with the Baltimore Ravens, albeit with a glaring factor working against him. All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton serves as Baltimore's top slot defender, where Rice regularly resides, allowing just 4.9 yards per completion and 2.6 yards per target over 63 targets in the regular season. Rice will likely need a higher volume passing day from the Chiefs' attack for better results, and he's appropriately priced at $6,500 on DraftKings.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce enjoyed his best fantasy effort since a Week 7 eruption with two touchdowns during the Divisional Round victory over the Buffalo Bills, but he's had no problem thrashing the Bills in recent years. In Sunday's AFC Championship contest against the Baltimore Ravens, however, Kelce will encounter a much more difficult task. Per DraftKings scoring, Baltimore's defense ranks fourth against TEs. But in five career games against the Ravens, Kelce has caught at least six balls and exceeded 70 yards in each outing. The 34-year-old superstar's $6,600 salary tops his position on Sunday, and only George Kittle holds a candle to Kelce in terms of DFS status. With rookie receiver Rashee Rice lined up to frequently battle with All-Pro defensive back Kyle Hamilton in the slot, quarterback Patrick Mahomes may need to turn to Kelce early and often to combat this vaunted Ravens unit.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes took advantage of an injury-depleted Buffalo Bills defense in the Divisional Round win, but he'll face a much tougher test in Sunday's AFC Championship game against the Baltimore Ravens. Defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald's unit held signal-callers to the fewest fantasy points per game (11.20), passing touchdowns (16), and yards per attempt (5.1) in the regular season. That's not to mention that Baltimore's D ranked first in points per game (16.5) and sacks (58). It's about the stiffest matchup Mahomes could draw, but for what it's worth, the two-time MVP has eclipsed 340 passing yards in each of his four career starts versus the Ravens and totes a 132.5 passer rating with 1,102 yards (10.0 yards per attempt) and a 10:1 TD:INT over his last three outings against them. Whereas Mahomes was a high-end DFS play against the Bills, he's more of a midrange option here at $6,900 on DraftKings.