Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, October 25 at 4:25 PM ET
Location: Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, CO
Betting Odds: KC -9.5 via Oddsshark
Network: CBS
Kansas City Chiefs
Quarterback
Patrick Mahomes (Start, QB1)
With Russel Wilson on bye, Patrick Mahomes took over as the number one overall fantasy player this week with 225/2 and 36 rush yards. Pretty mediocre day for the half-billion-dollar man, but managers will take it. This week he gets an easy opponent in Denver which could get out of hand fast, but regardless will lead to another solid week, which is what we have come to expect of Mahomes. For those that invested a top dollar in Mahomes, you can’t be disappointed with what you have gotten so far and you should continue to ride the train.
Running Backs
Clyde Edwards-Helaire (Start, RB1 – RB2 if Bell plays), Le’Veon Bell (Start, Flex – if active)
When news broke that Le’Veon Bell was signing in Kansas City, there were people on both sides of the aisle that had an opinion on just what that meant for the Kansas City offense. There were plenty of people that thought getting out from under the Gase umbrella would allow him to return to Steeler form, and there were others that say he is washed up and just ring hunting. Regardless of what you think, when he returns he will have a role and that will knock your first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire down a rung on the rankings ladder. That could be as early as this week, but Andy Reid said on Wednesday that he wasn’t sure if Bell could grasp the playbook in time. I assume that he will be active and could see upwards of 10-12 touches and any red-zone/goal-line work which would cut into CEH’s stranglehold on the job. The good news for CEH is that he just had the best game of his young career, totaling 161 yards on 26 carries just as the rumor mill was starting to swirl about if he is really the guy. Buffalo seemed to be letting the Chiefs run at will, but still, owners have to have some extra confidence coming off of that performance than before it. It is definitely a toss-up at this point, but I think if they both are active and you need an RB2 and a Flex, you can start both. Obviously, if Bell is inactive, he will be on the bench and CEH returns to his RB1 status.
Wide Receivers
Tyreek Hill (Start, WR1), Mecole Hardman (Sit), Demarcus Robinson (Sit), Travis Kelce (Start, TE1)
The KC offense is humming yet again this year, but with solid running back play, that hasn’t translated into a lot of pass catchers being relevant. More so than that, past Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce, it has really just been a revolving door of Sammy Watkins being injured and Mecole Hardman and Demarcus Robinson filling in the gaps. Hill is the only wide receiver that I am comfortable starting, even coming off his worst game in recent memory. He only had 3/20 in Week 6, but this shouldn’t dissuade you from plugging him in as a WR1 with elite upside after totaling 15+ PPR points every week prior. As I said, Robinson and Hardman are a toss-up of who will be getting the leftovers, so keep them out of lineups. Travis Kelce is on fire and you will never be sitting him, especially after catching two touchdowns in Week 6. He is shaping up to again be in contention for the top scorer at the position.
Denver Broncos
Quarterback
Drew Lock (Sit)
Drew Lock put up an absolutely disgusting stat line in Week 6 and I don’t mean in a good way. New England had his number, but he still got the win thanks to six made field goals despite his 189 yards and two interceptions with no touchdowns. Now getting Kansas City, there should be more of a play from behind game script, but Lock isn’t recommended as a filler as he just doesn’t have the wide receiver talent around him with Cortland Sutton out for the season.
Running Back
Melvin Gordon (Start, Flex if active), Phillip Lindsay (Start, Flex)
The last time we saw Melvin Gordon he was rumbling off a long garbage touchdown against the Jets. We have since seen him take to Twitter to bash the NFL for giving them a Covid induced bye last minute, followed by a DUI later that week. Now facing likely discipline from the NFL, it seems more a matter of when and not if. So far, he is practicing this week so expect to have him and be Flex worthy in a game that will feature both he and Phillip Lindsay. Speaking of Lindsay, he got all the work with Gordon sidelined last week with illness, rushing for 101 yards on 23 carries. The surprising thing was that he didn’t receive one target in the passing game. This offense is looking like it will be lacking in passing to the running backs this season, but I could see that change this week in a game where Denver is chasing points. I think he gets enough volume to be a Flex play, even if Gordon is active.
Wide Receivers/Tight End
Tim Patrick (Start, Flex), Jerry Jeudy (Sit), Noah Fant (Start, TE1)
Tim Patrick has put together three straight productive weeks and should see that continue in a play from behind game. Looking like the best wide receiver on his team at the moment, Patrick has three straight games with either 100 yards or a touchdown. It should be more of the same this week as Drew Lock is forced to throw the ball a lot. Jerry Jeudy hasn’t done much outside of a splash play against the Jets that should’ve been intercepted. Better days may be coming against some soft opponents, but for now, the chemistry doesn’t look to be there with Lock and he can be benched. The hope is that Noah Fant can return this week, he should immediately return to his TE1 form that we saw through three and a half weeks. For a position hurting as much as tight end is, it will be rewarding for managers that have held on as he gets a good stretch of games against soft defenses for most of the remaining schedule, starting with the Chiefs.
-Matt Dean (@MattDeanQBList on Twitter, mdean8 on Reddit)