Kansas City Chiefs DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

The Kansas City Chiefs are saying that wide receiver Rashee Rice (knee) is still undergoing tests on his injured knee on Monday, but he will not be available to play in Week 5 against the New Orleans Saints. Rice injured his knee early in the Week 4 win over the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers and is feared to have suffered a season-ending torn ACL. It hasn't been confirmed yet, but fantasy managers need to be bracing for the announcement that the 24-year-old pass-catcher is indeed out for the year. With Marquise Brown (shoulder) also expected to miss the entire season and with running back Isiah Pacheco (leg) on Injured Reserve with a fractured leg, the Chiefs are running out of playmakers on offense. Rookie Xavier Worthy will now have a much bigger role, as well as receivers Justin Watson, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Skyy Moore, Mecole Hardman and tight end Travis Kelce.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy had three catches for 73 yards and a touchdown in the 17-10 win against the Los Angeles Chargers. Worthy broke free for a 54-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter of this contest. The rookie's three catches and 73 receiving yards were both season-highs. Despite having at least one carry in the first three games, Worthy did not have a single opportunity out of the backfield this week. The Chiefs may have planned to bring Worthy along slowly, but those plans may need revision with Rashee Rice sustaining a potentially season-ending injury in the first quarter. Kansas City already lost Marquise Brown for the season, so losing Rashee Rice would presumably leave Worthy as the top option at the wide receiver position. Worthy will look to be more involved against the New Orleans Saints in Week 5. The Saints defense has given up the sixth-most passing yards to opposing offenses this season, so there is opportunity for Worthy in this matchup. The Chiefs rookie receiver should still be viewed as a flex option, but hopefully, he will gain a more significant role in the offense after Rice's injury.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce had seven catches on nine targets for 89 yards in the 17-10 win against the Los Angeles Chargers. Kelce was the primary beneficiary of a first-quarter injury to Rashee Rice. Rice was carted off the field, and Kelce became the top option for the Chiefs passing attack. Today, Kelce's yardage eclipsed the yardage he had gained in the first three games combined. Kelce will look to keep this momentum against the New Orleans Saints in Week 5. The Saints have given up the fifth-most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends this season, so Kelce should remain productive. The loss of second-year receiver Rashee Rice will have a massive impact on the Chiefs offense moving forward, and Kelce should bring in most middle-of-the-field targets in Rice's absence. The Chiefs tight end is a must-start option against the Saints, and fantasy managers should be excited about his value going forward.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Carson Steele had two carries for six yards in the 17-10 win against the Los Angeles Chargers. Steele was the starter again this week, coming off a performance where he carried the ball 17 times, but things did not go his way in this one. Steele fumbled on his first carry of the game, which led to him only getting one more carry in this contest. The coaching staff plugged Kareem Hunt into Steele's place, and Hunt was efficient with his touches. Steele will try to get back in the good graces of his coaches against the New Orleans Saints in Week 5. The Saints have allowed the fifth-most yards per carry to opposing offenses, so Steele should be productive with his touches. It remains to be seen if the team will roll with Hunt as the lead back or if they will give Steele another chance as the starter. The two Chiefs backs could split the workload, capping each other's value. The Chiefs should also be getting Clyde Edwards-Helaire back soon, which would further muddy the situation. Given the uncertainty surrounding the Kansas City backfield, trusting Steele in your starting lineup will be difficult.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt made his season debut in the 17-10 win against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 4. Hunt had 14 carries for 69 yards in the contest. The veteran back also brought in two of his three targets for 16 receiving yards. Although rookie Carson Steele was the starter in this game, a first-quarter fumble by Steele allowed Hunt to be the lead back. Hunt averaged 4.9 yards per carry and demonstrated his value as a pass catcher. Hunt will have another opportunity to control the Kansas City backfield against the New Orleans Saints in Week 5. The Saints defense has allowed the 11th-fewest rushing yards this season, but they have also given up the fifth-most yards per carry to opposing offenses. If Hunt is given the same opportunity next week, he should be a viable fantasy starter. Given the uncertainty of the situation, it isn't easy to project what Hunt's role will be moving forward, especially since Clyde Edwards-Helaire is set to return soon. If reports come out that Hunt will be the feature back for the Chiefs, he should rank as an RB2. Nevertheless, Hunt is a difficult start, given the one-game sample size.