Kansas City Chiefs DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid will decide on running back Isiah Pacheco's (fibula) status for Sunday's matchup against the Carolina Panthers after this week of practice. Reid was discussing Pacheco and defensive end Charles Omenihu (knee) when he noted they'll "just have to see how each player does in practice this week." It's encouraging that the head coach didn't outright rule out the 25-year-old. Still, it would be nice for him to exhibit more confidence regarding the third-year back's status. Pacheco, who has been out since fracturing his fibula in Week 2, would immediately boost the Chiefs' offense and fantasy manager's lineups when he's healthy. Keep an eye on his practice participation over the next few days, as that will likely be telling of his status for Sunday's outing.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster caught one pass for eight yards in the 21-30 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Smith-Schuster returned to the team after missing the last three games. Despite being available, the veteran receiver was not a factor in the passing attack. Smith-Schuster only saw one target in the team's first loss of the season. Before the team's Week 6 bye, Smith-Schuster appeared to be the top receiver on the Chiefs, but it has been a long time since then. The Chiefs acquired DeAndre Hopkins in the absence of Smith-Schuster, and rookie Xavier Worthy has been more involved lately. Smith-Schuster will look to be a factor in next week's game against the Carolina Panthers, who rank 14th in fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers this season. It will be difficult for fantasy managers to trust Smith-Schuster in starting lineups, considering the other talented pass catchers on the team.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Noah Gray caught four passes for 23 yards and two touchdowns in the 21-30 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The Chiefs collected their first loss of the season, but it was to no fault of Gray. The Chiefs backup tight end was one of the team's most productive players in the passing game. Gray's two touchdowns in this game were his first and second scores of the year. Gray will look to find the endzone again in next week's contest against the Carolina Panthers, who rank 32nd in fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends this season. Despite his big game, Gray is not involved enough to be considered a usable fantasy asset in any matchup. Fantasy managers should leave Gray on the waiver wire.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins caught three passes for 29 yards in the 21-30 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The Chiefs were handled their first loss of the season in this contest, and their veteran receiver was held in check. The Buffalo defense was considered a formidable unit to throw on coming into this game, which proved true. Hopkins finished the game with four targets, tied with Travis Kelce and Samaje Perine for the second-most targets on the team. The Chiefs spread the ball around in this contest, and the veteran receiver had diminished production because of that approach. Hopkins will look to turn it around next week against the Carolina Panthers, who rank 14th in fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers this season. Fantasy managers should feel more confident starting Hopkins next week in a more favorable matchup.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy caught four passes for 61 yards and a touchdown in the 21-30 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Worthy looked like he was in for a big game with one carry, four catches, and a touchdown early on, but he was held without another touch for the remainder of the contest. The Chiefs were handed their first loss of the season, but it was encouraging to see Worthy be an essential piece of the offense. Worthy will look to carry this momentum into next week's contest against the Carolina Panthers, who rank 14th in fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers this season. Despite this strong showing, it won't be easy to trust Worthy in starting lineups until he displays some consistency from week to week.