Kansas City Chiefs DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce will face the New Orleans Saints on Monday night in Week 5. Kelce was the top target in the Chiefs offense after star receiver Rashee Rice went down with a knee injury in the first quarter. Kelce finished the game with seven catches for 89 yards on nine targets in Week 4. With Kansas City officially placing Rashee Rice on injured reserve, Kelce should regain his role as the top target for Patrick Mahomes. The Saints should be a favorable matchup for the Chiefs passing attack, and Kelce could be in for a big game. Mahomes will likely involve Xavier Worthy and the other receivers, but Kelce should be the favorite to lead the team in targets and receptions this week. Kelce is also without a touchdown through four games, so look for that to change in this primetime matchup. Fantasy managers should feel much more confident about starting Kelce this week.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will take on the New Orleans Saints on Monday night in Week 5. Mahomes will be without his favorite receiver, Rashee Rice, for the foreseeable future as the Chiefs placed him on injured reserve due to a severe knee injury. The remaining Chiefs receiving corps will be asked to step up in his absence. The primary beneficiary figures to be Travis Kelce, who should vacuum up those middle-of-the-field targets that Rice was feasting on. Rookie Xavier Worthy, Justin Watson, Skyy Moore, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Mecole Hardman all figure to play a role in the passing attack, but their volume is to be determined. Mahomes has not been a great fantasy quarterback by any stretch of the imagination this season, as he has thrown for less than 300 yards and at least one interception in every contest. The loss of his best receiver should also decrease his production, making him an undesirable start in fantasy football most weeks. Despite his poor start and few game-changing pass catchers, Mahomes could find success against the Saints this week. The Saints have given up the ninth-most passing yards to opposing offenses this season but have also given up the fewest passing touchdowns. If Mahomes does not find a way to get it done in this matchup, fantasy managers may need to readjust their expectations for him this season.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (shoulder) doesn't carry an injury designation heading into Monday's matchup with the Saints. He was limited at practice on Thursday and Friday. However, he logged a full session on Saturday. The veteran looked good in his first game back with the Chiefs, amassing 69 yards off 14 carries, adding two catches for 16 yards in the Week 4 win over the Chargers. With Clyde Edwards-Helaire (illness) doubtful, Hunt should get most of the work out of the backfield in Week 5, so he's worth a start in any fantasy format. The same can't be said for Samaje Perine, who had a touchdown versus Los Angeles, and Carson Steele.

Kansas City Chiefs running backs Kareem Hunt (shoulder) and Clyde Edwards-Helaire (illness) both practiced in a limited capacity on Friday afternoon. Both running backs were also limited participants during Thursday's session. Hunt made his 2024 season debut last weekend and operated as the lead runner in the Kansas City backfield, as he saw 14 carries. Edwards-Helaire has been on the reserve list through the early part of the season and logged his first practice of the season earlier this week. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor their status during Saturday's practice as it should provide clarity on their status heading into Monday's game. If Hunt can suit up, he should see the majority of attempts. However, if not, fantasy managers should expect Samaje Perine and Carson Steele to split the workload.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (shoulder) was a limited participant during Thursday's practice, according to Katherine Terrell of ESPN. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Hunt's status before their game on Monday evening against the New Orleans Saints, but seeing him on the practice field this early in the week suggests the injury is not serious. The 29-year-old logged a team-high 14 carries in his season debut last weekend. No. 2 running back Samaje Perine logged only five carries, which implies that Hunt should be viewed as the lead runner for the time being. With Isiah Pacheco (leg) on Injured Reserve, Hunt could become a solid flex play going forward if he continues to have a prominent role in the Kansas City offense.