The AFC West team previews are here and there’s no better place to start than with the 2020 Fantasy Football Kansas City Chiefs Preview.
Fresh off a Super Bowl victory, the Chiefs enter the 2020 season as one of the NFL’s top contenders.
This past offseason, Andy Reid’s offense remains largely unchanged. The age-old mantra “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” certainly applies here. It seems the Kansas City brass is content with retaining most of its roster, and who can really blame them?
They have one of the most well-rounded and high-powered offensive units in the NFL but decided to pick up some luxury weapons to add to the already dynamic core of playmakers.
In the 2020 Fantasy Football Kansas City Chiefs Preview, we’ll break down this elite cast of playmakers who are led by one of the most dominant quarterbacks in the league.
2020 Fantasy Football Kansas City Chiefs Preview
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Quarterbacks
Patrick Mahomes is already being heralded as one of— if not the best— players in all of football. After two years as a starter, he’s already posted more accomplishments than several veteran quarterbacks.
Mahomes is a league MVP and a Super Bowl MVP, not to mention the fact that he brought the Vince Lombardi Trophy to Kansas City for the first time in 50 years.
PFF passing grade under pressure 2018-2019
1. Patrick Mahomes - 80.6
2. Drew Brees - 76.0
3. Philip Rivers - 70.1
4. Lamar Jackson - 67.7 pic.twitter.com/Iyp1edi6Lz— PFF (@PFF) May 26, 2020
Mahomes' 2018 season was one of the best single-season performances for a quarterback, ever. So while his 26 touchdown, 4,000+ passing yard season is still huge, it was a far cry from 2018, where he passed for over 5,000 while becoming only the third player to pass for 50 touchdowns in a single season.
The regression is partially dude to the astronomical numbers he put up in his first year as a starter. It can also be attributed to Mahomes’ run-ins with the injury bug, which sidelined him for two games.
If the reigning Super Bowl MVP can stave off injury, fantasy owners can expect Mahomes to be back in the running for the most productive fantasy quarterback of 2020.
Running Backs
In 2019, the Chiefs employed multiple running backs throughout the season, with Damien Williams and Darrel Williams receiving the highest number of touches of this year's returnees.
The first-round selection of pass-catching maestro Clyde Edwards-Helaire, adds another weapon for Mahomes to utilize in the passing game.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire led the country with 25 first-down receptions out of the backfield
He didn't earn a single below-average game grade in 2019. pic.twitter.com/cfeWBJnSNp
— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) January 20, 2020
While at LSU, Edwards-Helaire reeled in more catches (55) than any other running back drafted in 2020. Fantasy owners can expect solid usage out of the Louisiana native, as he provides more versatility than Damien Williams, who only brought in 30 receptions in 2019.
Edwards-Helaire will be usable in all fantasy formats but will thrive in PPR leagues. The former LSU Tiger fits into Andy Reid’s pass-heavy offense perfectly. With deep weapons all over the field, CEH should have the opportunity to see an abundance of targets as the main safety valve for Mahomes.
How Damien Williams will factor into the equation is puzzling, but for fantasy owners to properly cover their bases he’s a prime handcuff candidate.
Wide Receivers
Speed kills and the Chiefs have speed to burn.
One of the main reasons Mahomes has been so successful over the past two years is because of the playmakers he has at receiver.
Tyreek Hill is the most dynamic receiver for the Chiefs. Hill’s speed allows Andy Reid to use him in a variety of ways. Hill dynamism leads to use in the slot, out wide, and as a recipient of jet sweeps.
Hill’s break-neck speed gives him the ability to take any touch to the house. He’s the NFL’s premiere home-run hitter, but not the only one on the Kansas City roster.
Both Sammy Watkins and Mecole Hardman can be valuable for fantasy owners. They’re also burners. Watkins saw 90 targets in 2019, but his issue is with consistency.
In Week 1 against the Jaguars, Watkins caught nine passes for 198 yards and three touchdowns. He ended up not having another game with over 64 yards. He also didn’t score another touchdown for the rest of the season. Fantasy owners should be wary of his boom-or-bust potential.
Last season, Andy Reid mainly put Hardman’s speed to use in the return game. As a rookie, Hardman earned Pro-Bowl honors as a punt and kick returner. He was also productive as a deep threat for the Chiefs.
Mecole Hardman averaged 47.8 yards per catch on his 6 TDs as a rookie
Highest of all NFL players with 4+ TDspic.twitter.com/iZSt6zkhqw
— PFF (@PFF) May 14, 2020
As a WR3, Hardman only racked up 26 receptions but averaged 20.7 yards per catch. He also took six catches to pay dirt.
While the Chiefs offense is full of weapons, fantasy owners can expect Hardman to see an increased role in his sophomore season.
Tight Ends
Not only do the Chiefs have one of the best receiving corps in the NFL, arguably their best receiver is a tight end.
In 2019, Travis Kelce led the Chiefs in both receptions and yardage. Kelce’s 97 catches for 1,229 yards led to his fifth-straight Pro-Bowl selection.
Travis Kelce 🤯 pic.twitter.com/DRQeFyXj5Q
— PFF (@PFF) May 21, 2020
Kelce is an elite-tier tight end, with a top-notch quarterback slinging him the ball. His consistency is second to none, but what sets him apart from other high-level tight ends, is his lack of injury history.
Kelce hasn’t missed a regular-season game in the last six seasons. For fantasy owners, the tight end position is the most shallow in terms of talent. Without depth at the position, Kelce’s durability makes him even more valuable in fantasy circles.
He should be the first tight end off the board in all formats without much question.
Final Verdict
The Chiefs have some of the most talented fantasy players on their roster. This year, Chiefs players will be among the most dominant at their positions. Depth at receiver is one of their biggest assets.
The looming question mark for fantasy owners is the running back situation. The best situation for running back production is always a three-down scenario. There may be too many cooks in the kitchen for high-level production. The handcuff option seems to be the most viable when plucking from the Chiefs’ talent pool.
Nevertheless, with the sheer number of high-impact weapons on offense, Kansas City seems poised to make another post-season run. By targeting Chiefs players, you’ll be on the way to the playoffs too.
Visit the F6P Fantasy Football page for more advice to get you prepared for the 2020 season.
| AFC East | AFC North | AFC South | AFC West |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bills | Ravens | Texans | Broncos |
| Dolphins | Bengals | Colts | Chiefs |
| Jets | Browns | Jaguars | Chargers |
| Patriots | Steelers | Titans | Raiders |
| NFC East | NFC North | NFC South | NFC West |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cowboys | Bears | Falcons | Cardinals |
| Eagles | Lions | Panthers | Rams |
| Giants | Packers | Saints | 49ers |
| Washington | Vikings | Buccaneers | Seahawks |
