Analysis
8/11/23
5 min read
Kansas City Chiefs 2023 Fantasy Football Team Preview
As we inch closer to opening day of the NFL season, we want to get you prepared for your fantasy football drafts. That process begins with our team previews, where we’ll break down each team’s offense while providing players we’re targeting and, in some cases, avoiding.
>> READ: Chiefs Season Preview From Matt Cassel
Chiefs Fantasy Team Preview
Head Coach: Andy Reid (11th season as Chiefs HC)
Offensive Coordinator: Matt Nagy (first season as Chiefs OC)
Key Offensive Additions:
- WR Richie James
- OT Jawaan Taylor
- OT Donovan Smith
Key Offensive Departures:
Key Offensive Rookies:
- WR Rashee Rice – second-round draft pick
- OT Wanya Morris – third-round draft pick
Points Per Game: 29.2 (first)
Passing Yards: 297.8 (first)
Rushing Yards: 115.9 (20th)
Vacated Targets: 176 (ninth)
Pass: 67 percent Run: 33 percent
Pace: 20th
OL Rank: Seventh
Quarterbacks
Patrick Mahomes is the most reliable quarterback in fantasy football, finishing second in fantasy points per game (23.6) in the past two seasons.
Other quarterbacks with more rushing upside might outscore Mahomes in a single season, but he’s the best player in the league and a two-time MVP winner. If safety is your goal, Mahomes has a stronger floor than the other top options.
Running Backs
The Chiefs have a surprisingly pedestrian running back room for fantasy football, especially given they were last year’s highest-scoring offense. Last season, seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco led the backfield in rush attempts, yards and touchdowns by a decent margin. He topped 16 carries once, and he only had one game with more than two receptions. As a result, the fantasy ceiling wasn’t there. He hit 16 fantasy points just once during his rookie year.
Heading into Year 2, he’ll need to monopolize the goal line work and become more active in the receiving game. Both are possibilities, but he is still not fully healthy after two offseason surgeries. While he missed valuable offseason reps, he does not appear to be at risk of missing Week 1. He could be a fantasy RB2, but he’s most likely a touchdown-dependent flex play unless he consistently reaches 20 carries per game or catches two to three passes each week.
Jerick McKinnon is now 31, but he’s coming off a career season through the air with 56 receptions, 512 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns — tied for the most ever by a running back. He was the overall fantasy RB1 multiple times last year, but touchdown regression should hit him like a freight train. He’s probably a flex play or bench stash who needs a Pacheco injury to boost his rushing workload.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire is suddenly a fantasy afterthought after the former first-round pick has failed to meet expectations for three years running. Should Pacheco go down, Edwards-Helaire likely splits work with McKinnon, so he’s quite possibly two injuries away from being an every-week fantasy starter.
Speedy undrafted rookie Deneric Prince is a special teamer and should be left on waivers. His college production was minimal as both a runner and receiver.
Wide Receivers, Tight Ends
Travis Kelce remains the dominant force in Kansas City’s passing attack, making him worthy of a first-round pick due to the tight end position's scarcity.
Skyy Moore is projected to take on the offense's valuable slot role, making him a target in fantasy drafts. Though not a top-tier wideout, Moore's potential for a WR2 fantasy season in Mahomes' offense makes Moore a valuable late-round addition.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling continues his deep-threat role and is a bench option. While he offers occasional explosive plays, he lacks consistent output. Valdes-Scantling is more important in games to open everything up for everybody else.
Kadarius Toney's undefined role as a gadget player limits his fantasy impact despite his connection to Mahomes. He's worth considering in later rounds but not necessarily in all drafts. He was working as a kick/punt returner before getting hurt, and that’s not good for his prospects of earning a full-time role in the offense.
The remaining wide receivers are Rice, Justin Watson and Justyn Ross. Rice is a great red zone player, and Jordan Vanek expects his role to be limited to that during the season. Watson made plays in some big moments but has little value in fantasy.
Ross was one of the best wide receivers in the country at Clemson, and he has shown out during training camp. He’s not guaranteed a spot on the 53-man roster, but if he makes the cut, he’s worth a flier in deep leagues.
Dynasty Buy
Ian Miller: Buy Kelce (TE1)
It may sound odd that someone priced as TE1 is a buy, but Kelce offers a massive advantage that can win your leagues. His 21.7 points per game last season would’ve been good for a WR2 finish. The next closest tight end would’ve finished as WR12, and the TE12 would’ve finished outside of WR40.
Chiefs We’re Targeting or Avoiding in Fantasy Football
Josh Larky: Target Moore. Avoid Pacheco.
Ryan Reynolds: Target Moore.
Jordan Vanek: Target Kelce, Moore.
Follow our Team on Twitter
Josh Larky: @JLarkyTweets
Ryan Reynolds: @RyanReynoldsNFL
Jordan Vanek: @JordanVanekDFS
Ian Miller: @Dynasty_IM
Other Previews
NFC East: DAL | NYG | PHI | WAS
NFC North: GB | CHI | MIN | DET
NFC South: NO | ATL | CAR | TB
NFC West: SF | LAR | SEA | ARI
AFC East: BUF | NE | MIA | NYJ
AFC North: CIN | CLE | BAL | PIT
AFC South: HOU | IND | JAX | TEN
Our data is provided by Sports Info Solutions, and our vacated targets figure is provided by Tru Media.
