Kansas City Chiefs DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

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.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed 19 of his 29 pass attempts (65.5%) for 245 yards and a touchdown in the 17-10 win against the Los Angeles Chargers. Mahomes also threw an interception in this game, making it his fourth straight game with an interception this season and bringing his interception total up to five. Mahomes has also thrown for less than 300 yards in every game this season. Despite his diminished counting stats, Mahomes and the Chiefs remain undefeated through the season's first four weeks. The Chiefs quarterback will look to keep the streak alive against the New Orleans Saints in Week 5. The Saints should be a favorable matchup for Mahomes since their defense has allowed the sixth-most passing yards this season. The Chiefs passing attack has not been exciting to begin the year, and it may be getting worse as Rashee Rice is believed to have suffered a significant knee injury in the first quarter. Travis Kelce seemed to be the primary beneficiary of Rice's exit from the game. Mahomes could funnel the passing game through Kelce moving forward, but the volume of their passing attack should remain consistent. The Chiefs have been content in establishing the run, and you cannot argue with their results so far. It is becoming increasingly difficult to rely on Mahomes as a fantasy quarterback this season.

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (knee) will have an MRI on Monday after exiting Sunday's matchup with the Chargers. There hasn't been a firm update on the wideout's condition. However, with head coach Andy Reid indicating things don't look promising regarding Rice's condition, fantasy managers are already bracing for the worst, including what the team fears to be a torn ACL. It's unfortunate, considering he had 24 catches for 288 yards and two touchdowns in the first three weeks of the 2024-25 campaign. Yet, with Rice's anticipated absence moving ahead, Skyy Moore, Xavier Worthy, and Travis Kelce are in line to see more attention from Patrick Mahomes.