Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, November 20th at 8:20 PM ET
Location: SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA
Betting Odds: KC -5.5, 50 Total on Oddsshark
Network: CBS
Writer: Justin Herrera (@semtexmex93 on Twitter)
Kansas City Chiefs
Quarterback
Patrick Mahomes (Start, QB1)
Patrick Mahomes’ worst game this year came in Week 2 against LA Chargers. He threw for 235 yards and two touchdowns, Mahomes lowest passing yardage output this year. The Chiefs believe it or not are much better right now than at the beginning of the year. Their receivers are more relevant and the Chargers are worse off on defense then they were in week 2. The Chargers have allowed 15 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks and allowed 17 to Mahomes in Week 2. Make it easy on yourself and start Mahomes as a QB1 this week.
Running Backs
Isiah Pacheco (Start, High-End Flex), Jerick McKinnon(Sit), Clyde Edwards-Helaire (Sit)
Isiah Pacheco had career highs last week in snap share (58.7%), rushing yards (82), and carries (16). The Chargers have been bad against the run game, allowing 25.1 fantasy points per game to the running back position. Look for Pacheco to have a breakout game this week if he keeps on this trajectory. Start Pacheco as a high-end flex this week. Clyde Edwards-Helaire played 6.3% of the snaps last week and has not been effective since Week 4, you can sit and or drop CEH. Jerick McKinnon has had back-to-back top-24 finishes, but this game might be more dictated on the ground than through the air. Making McKinnon a sit in this game.
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
JuJu Smith-Schuster (Start, WR2), Kadarius Toney (Start, WR3), Travis Kelce (Start, TE1), Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Start, Low-End Flex)
Travis Kelce has been the number two or three tight end every week since Week 3. Kelce has dominated the target share (24.3%) and yielded the most red zone targets for tight ends (19). The Chargers held Kelce to his lowest fantasy output (10.1) in Week 2. Regardless of the output in Week 2, you shouldn’t be worried about starting Kelce this week.
JuJu Smith-Schuster is still in concussion protocol and should be considered a WR2 this week if he can go. Smith-Schuster had three back-to-back WR1 finishes before he went down on Sunday. The Chargers have allowed 19.7 fantasy points per game and in PPR have been a beast this year.
Kadarius Toney faked us out last week on his touchdown celebration, poking fun at his hamstring issues. In his first outing with his new team, Toney ran 15 routes, and caught four of five targets, for 57 yards and a touchdown. I expect Toney to get more involved in this offense going forward and with Mahomes as his QB, it should give him WR3 potential this week.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling was involved to the tune of 82% of the snaps last week. Scantling caught three of four passes for 60 yards and a touchdown last week. He seems to alternate big performances and is inconsistent but if your looking for a low-end flex with an upside then start MVS.
Los Angeles Chargers
Quarterback
Justin Herbert (Start, QB2)
Justin Herbert is hurting this year without his weapons. Herbert has only four top-12 finishes this year and since Mike Williams went down has been nearly unstartable in single QB leagues. Herbert has thrown an interception in the last four games and hasn’t had a multi-touchdown game since Week 7. The Chiefs have allowed 19.7 fantasy points per game to the quarterback position. Kansas City was oddly Herbert’s best fantasy performance this season (24.5) and that was with his full arsenal of weapons. We still don’t know when Keenan Allen will play so for that reason I’m choosing to make Herbert a QB2 this week. If Allen and Williams make a return this week then he’s a QB1.
Running Backs
Austin Ekeler (Start, RB1)
Austin Ekeler finished RB4 in Week 2 against the Kansas City Chiefs. Ekeler finished top 5 from Week 4 to Week 9 and has a good chance to repeat his Week 2 performance. The Chiefs have allowed the third most receiving yards to running backs this season (473), while giving up 17.9 fantasy points per game to RBs. Ekeler is bound to get targeted in this game and should be an RB1 start this week against a team he’s already performed well against this year.
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
Keenan Allen (Start, WR2), Mike Williams (Start, High-End Flex), Joshua Palmer (Sit), Gerald Everett (Sit)
Keenan Allen coming back might be the reason that Justin Herbert’s season comes around. Week 7 showed us that rushing Allen back could be problematic for the team and fantasy managers alike. I imagine if he does take the field the snap share won’t be 100%, so this week I’ll start him as a WR2.
Mike Williams is the least likely to play in my opinion just due to the injury being more recent. If he does play this week then we have to consider if he’s playing with Allen or not. Williams averages seven fewer fantasy points when playing with Allen and tends to look more like a solid flex than a WR2. If he plays I’d start him as a high-end flex.
Joshua Palmer is hit or miss this week, if Williams and Allen come back then he’s a sit. If one of them comes back then he’s a high-end flex and if neither comeback then he’s a WR2. The Chiefs have allowed 24.6 points to fantasy wide receivers this year. So there’s meat on this bone for whoever gets the start on Sunday.
Gerald Everett is also injured and had his lowest routes run and targets last week. If he plays this week then he’s playing a Chiefs defense that allows 8.7 fantasy points per game. While that looks good on paper, I don’t know if there are enough targets to go around. Sit Everett this week.