Kansas City Chiefs DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt had 14 carries for 60 yards in the 21-30 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Hunt was held out of the endzone in this contest in the team's first loss this season, leading to a mediocre fantasy performance. Despite being heavily involved in the passing game last week, Hunt did not see a single target in this contest. The Bills defense was viewed as a favorable matchup for running backs going into this game, but Buffalo held Hunt to 4.3 yards per carry. The veteran running back may have seen his last game as the undisputed lead back for the Chiefs as Isiah Pacheco is expected to return to the team in Week 12. It will be interesting to see what the backfield split will look like with Pacheco involved against the Carolina Panthers next week. The Panthers rank 32nd in fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs this season, so Hunt should be productive with the touches he gets. Fantasy managers should monitor Pacheco's involvement to determine what Hunt's value will be moving forward.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce caught two passes for eight yards in the 21-30 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The Chiefs were handed their first loss of the season, and Kelce was the target on the game-ending interception. The veteran tight end finished the game with just four targets against the stingy Buffalo defense. Despite being the focal point of the Kansas City passing attack every week, Kelce was held in check in this contest. The 35-year-old will look to bounce back in a favorable matchup against the Carolina Panthers next week. The Panthers rank 32nd in fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends this season, so Kelce should have his way against them. Despite this underwhelming performance, Kelce should still be considered a top-tier tight-end option for the rest of the season.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed 23 of 33 pass attempts (70%) for 196 yards and three touchdowns in the 21-30 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Mahomes passed for under 200 yards in this contest but made up for it with three passing scores for the second time this season. Mahomes also threw multiple interceptions for the third time this season, including a game-ending pick in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. The Chiefs quarterback also finished the game with zero rushing yards for the first time this season. Mahomes has continued to be a disappointing fantasy asset, especially in the team's last two games with tough matchups. The veteran quarterback will look to bounce back from the team's first loss next week against the Carolina Panthers, who rank 27th in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks this season. Mahomes will likely be ranked as a low-end QB1 next week, with one of the most favorable matchups for quarterbacks.

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker (knee) should return from Injured Reserve as soon as he is eligible to be activated, according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports. That timeline would put him on track to play in Week 15 against the Cleveland Browns. Glazer noted that Butker tore his meniscus and had two potential surgery options: a full repair and a less extensive trim. A full repair would have ended Butker's season, but he and the Chiefs chose the surgery with the trim, so he should be good to go by Week 15.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco (fibula) is expected to be healthy before next week's game against the Carolina Panthers, according to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport. This is a promising update, but it's important to note that Rapoport described Pacheco as "expected to be healthy" rather than "expected to play." In a follow-up post on X, Rapoport noted that the Chiefs have a short week in Week 13, so "it's a coaching decision for whether Pacheco plays" next Sunday against the Panthers. In any case, he expects Pacheco to be ready for his return from injured reserve, whether that comes in Week 12 against the Panthers or Week 13 against the Raiders. He'll rank as a high-end RB2 upon his return but could lose some opportunities to Kareem Hunt, who has performed quite well as the Chiefs' fill-in workhorse running back.