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Anthony Firkser Anthony Firkser Joins active roster
Fri, Dec 20, 2024, 4:56 PM
The Chiefs elevated Firkser to their active roster Friday.
Analysis: Firker's elevation ensures depth at tight end, with Jared Wiley (knee), Jody Fortson (knee) and Peyton Hendershot (calf) all sidelined for Kansas City's Week 16 matchup against the Texans on Saturday. Expect Firkser to serve as a depth piece in the Chiefs' TE corps, playing behind Travis Kelce and Noah Gray. |
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Hollywood Brown Hollywood Brown Officially activated from IR
Fri, Dec 20, 2024, 4:25 PM
Brown (shoulder) has been activated from IR ahead of Saturday's game against the Texans.
Analysis: Brown, who practiced fully Tuesday through Thursday, doesn't carry an injury designation for the contest, which sets the stage for the speedy pass catcher to see his first game action since suffering a sternoclavicular injury on the first play of the Chiefs' first preseason game back on Aug. 10, per Adam Teicher of ESPN.com. In his looming return to a wide receiver corps that also includes Xavier Worthy and DeAndre Hopkins, it remains to be seen what sort of volume Brown will see Week 16, but on the plus side given the nature of the upper-body injury that caused his lengthy layoff, Brown was "able to run and keep himself in running shape," head coach Andy Reid noted Thursday. |
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Patrick Mahomes Patrick Mahomes Set to start Saturday
Thu, Dec 19, 2024, 2:40 PM
Mahomes (ankle) doesn't carry an injury designation for Saturday's game against the Texans, Adam Teicher of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Mahomes, who was listed as a full practice participant Tuesday through Thursday, thus is cleared to start versus Houston. In terms of how the QB looked at practice this week, head coach Andy Reid noted that Mahomes "did look good out there. He moved around pretty good," while wideout DeAndre Hopkins said that Kansas City's QB looked "like he always does.'' With Mahomes' availability confirmed, the team also appears poised to welcome back speedy wideout Hollywood Brown (shoulder, no injury designation) who is on IR but is expected to be activated by the Chiefs ahead of Week 16 action. |
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Hollywood Brown Hollywood Brown No injury designation for Week 16
Thu, Dec 19, 2024, 2:19 PM
Brown (shoulder), who officially remains on IR, practiced in full Thursday and does not carry an injury designation for Saturday's game against the Texans.
Analysis: Coach Andy Reid said Thursday that Brown has "a good chance" to be officially activated from IR in time to make his season debut Saturday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The speedy wideout's lack of an injury designation reflects that optimism. Brown's recovery from left shoulder surgery undergone back in September has prevented him from suiting up for a single game this season, so if available Saturday, it wouldn't be surprising to see Kansas City ease him into the offense with a light snap count, with the intention to ramp up his involvement for the playoffs. |
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Patrick Mahomes Patrick Mahomes Likely to start Week 16
Thu, Dec 19, 2024, 1:12 PM
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said Thursday that Mahomes (ankle) "will most likely" start Saturday's game against the Texans, Nate Taylor of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Mahomes sustained a high-ankle sprain during Sunday's win over the Browns, but the issue is clearly less severe than the injury he suffered two years ago during the divisional round of the AFC playoffs. The star quarterback managed to practice in full Wednesday, potentially putting him on track to head into Week 16 action without an injury designation at all. Meanwhile, Reid also offered optimism that wide receiver Hollywood Brown (shoulder) will be activated from IR and make his season debut versus Houston on Saturday, Pete Sweeney of ArrowheadPride.com reports. |
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Hollywood Brown Hollywood Brown Trending toward debut
Thu, Dec 19, 2024, 9:07 AM
Brown (shoulder) is expected to be activated off injured reserve ahead of Saturday's game against the Texans, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: The Chiefs will need to officially activate Brown off IR ahead of the contest, but it appears like the speedy wideout is on a direct path to making his season debut in Week 16. It's unclear to what degree Brown will be utilized in his first game action since Week 15 of the 2023 campaign, but the team will gladly welcome the 27-year-old's field-stretching speed to an offense that has struggled to produce explosive plays this season. |
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Patrick Mahomes Patrick Mahomes Listed as full participant again
Wed, Dec 18, 2024, 3:11 PM
The Chiefs listed Mahomes (ankle) as a full practice participant Wednesday.
Analysis: Mahomes was listed the same way Tuesday after taking part in a walk-through practice, telling reporters beforehand that his high-ankle sprain is less of an issue than the one he played through during the playoffs two years ago. He's on track to play against the Texans on Saturday, albeit with a slightly lesser rushing projection than usual in light of the injury he suffered during the fourth quarter of a 21-7 win over the Browns this past Sunday. |
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Hollywood Brown Hollywood Brown Practices fully Tuesday
Tue, Dec 17, 2024, 3:57 PM
The Chiefs listed Brown (shoulder) as a full participant in Tuesday's practice.
Analysis: Brown has missed the Chiefs' first 14 games of the season while recovering from mid-September surgery on his left shoulder, but he looks to be closing in on his Chiefs debut. He took a step forward Tuesday by taking every rep in practice, after he had been listed as a limited participant in his return to practice last Friday. Earlier Tuesday, head coach Andy Reid confirmed to Adam Teicher of ESPN.com that Brown will have a chance to play this Saturday against the Texans, but the Chiefs will likely wait until the end of the week before deciding whether to activate the wideout from IR. If available this weekend, Brown could be eased into the mix with a light snap count, but he'll offer the Chiefs a downfield threat that the team has been sorely lacking this season. |
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Patrick Mahomes Patrick Mahomes Opens week with full practice
Tue, Dec 17, 2024, 3:47 PM
Mahomes (ankle) was listed as a full participant in Tuesday's practice.
Analysis: The Chiefs didn't hold a rigorous practice session to kick off Week 16 prep just two days after Sunday's 21-7 win over the Browns, but Mahomes' full listing nonetheless suggests that he's on track to play Saturday against the Texans. Even if Kansas City continues to list Mahomes as a full participant Wednesday and Thursday, fantasy managers planning on using him in Week 16 will still want to keep a close eye on reports pertaining to the quarterback's health leading up to Saturday, as he was diagnosed with a mild right high-ankle sprain following his early exit from Sunday's win in Cleveland. For his part, Mahomes told Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star prior to Tuesday's session that he has responded "better quicker" to his latest injury than the high-ankle sprain he sustained in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs two years ago. His ability to practice in any fashion so soon after spraining the ankle would seem to support that notion. |
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Samaje Perine Samaje Perine Tallies two touches versus Browns
Tue, Dec 17, 2024, 12:49 PM
Perine notched one rush for 11 yards and reeled in his only target for 23 yards during Sunday's 21-7 win versus the Browns.
Analysis: Perine hasn't amassed more than two touches in any of the last three weeks, which isn't a major surprise with Isiah Pacheco back in the fold atop the depth chart and Kareem Hunt also operating ahead of him. The veteran will continue to provide some depth in the Chiefs' backfield, but it's unlikely he'll supply fantasy-relevant weeks as long as the two ahead of him on the depth chart remain available. |
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JuJu Smith-Schuster JuJu Smith-Schuster Makes lone grab count in Week 15
Tue, Dec 17, 2024, 12:44 PM
Smith-Schuster reeled in one of his three targets for seven yards and a touchdown during Sunday's 21-7 win versus the Browns.
Analysis: Smith-Schuster's 51 percent snap share sits around the same range it has been over the past four contests. His three targets did mark his highest total since returning from a hamstring injury in Week 11, but that's hardly enough volume to warrant fantasy consideration in the majority of formats. On top of that, Hollywood Brown (shoulder) had his practice window opened ahead of his potential return from injured reserve. When that happens, Smith-Schuster will likely slide further down the depth chart behind Brown, Xavier Worthy and DeAndre Hopkins. |
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Noah Gray Noah Gray Crosses goal line against Browns
Tue, Dec 17, 2024, 12:36 PM
Gray logged two receptions on five targets for 21 yards and one touchdown during Sunday's 21-7 win against Cleveland.
Analysis: Gray didn't cross the 60-percent snap threshold in Week 15 like he did in the two previous contests, and he was unable to match the four grabs he totaled in each of the previous four games, but he made one of his two catches count by turning in his fifth touchdown of the 2024 campaign. Gray still amassed five targets in the contest -- his average over the last five games -- but Patrick Mahomes' ankle sprain could be worrisome for Kansas City's pass catchers. If Mahomes is unable to go against the Texans, Carson Wentz would get the start, presumably capping the upside of Gray and others. On a positive note, the tight end has clearly etched out a regular role and should continue to log 50-plus percent of the offensive snaps. |
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Patrick Mahomes Patrick Mahomes Will try to practice Tuesday
Tue, Dec 17, 2024, 12:02 PM
Head coach Andy Reid said that Mahomes (ankle) will attempt to practice Tuesday, Matt McMullen of the Chiefs' official site reports. "We'll see how Pat does. He's going to go through some stuff and we'll see how it works out for him," Reid said.
Analysis: While the fact that Reid hasn't entirely ruled Mahomes out from practicing to kick off Week 16 prep offers encouragement, Kansas City isn't likely to hold anything more than a light walk-through session just two days after Sunday's 21-7 win over the Browns. As such, even if Mahomes is listed as a limited participant, it shouldn't be interpreted as a clear sign that he'll be on track to play Saturday against the Texans. Backup Carson Wentz is expected to get in plenty of reps with the first-team offense to keep himself prepared in the event Mahomes is forced to miss his first game of the season. |
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Patrick Mahomes Patrick Mahomes Dealing with mild high-ankle sprain
Mon, Dec 16, 2024, 11:57 AM
Mahomes (ankle) has been diagnosed Monday with a 'mild' high-ankle sprain and is considered week-to-week, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Mahomes was forced out of Sunday's 21-7 win over the Browns in the fourth quarter, leaving backup Carson Wentz to close out the contest. Now, with the Chiefs facing a short turnaround for Week 16's matchup against the Texans on Saturday, then a road matchup against Pittsburgh on Christmas Day coming Week 17, Mahomes' availability for the remainder of the regular season is murky at best. Currently, at 13-1, Kansas City has a two-game lead on Buffalo (11-3) for the top seed in the AFC, and the Chiefs have already clinched a playoff spot. The team figures to take a cautious approach to Mahomes' health in order to prioritize his effectiveness for the postseason, making it appear likely that Wentz starts Saturday versus Houston. For Weeks 17 and 18, though, playoff standing could potentially factor into decisions made on Mahomes' availability. |
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Patrick Mahomes Patrick Mahomes Non-committal on Week 16 status
Mon, Dec 16, 2024, 8:33 AM
Mahomes (ankle) admitted after Sunday's 21-7 win over the Browns that he's uncertain if he'll be able to play in Kansas City's Week 16 game Saturday versus the Texans, Adam Teicher of ESPN.com reports. "It's hard to say right now,'' Mahomes said, when asked about his status for Week 16. "You still [have the] adrenaline rolling and usually it's kind of the day after when you kind of get a good sense of it...You just do what you have to do to get back, and I think that's the most important thing. And now we just get back to the rehab part, the treatment part, and try to get ourselves ready on a short week against a good football team."
Analysis: Mahomes left Sunday's game midway through the fourth quarter after taking a hit to his right ankle while throwing an incomplete fourth-down pass. With the defending Super Bowl champions holding a 14-point lead by the time they regained possession with 5:23 left in the quarter, head coach Andy Reid opted to go with Carson Wentz at quarterback for the rest of the game. Reid said after the contest that Mahomes' ankle wasn't broken, but Kansas City fears that the signal-caller may have suffered a high-ankle sprain, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Mahomes is scheduled to undergo further testing Monday, but if a high-ankle sprain is confirmed, he'll likely be viewed as week-to-week and would face an uphill battle to get cleared for the matchup with the Texans. With three games left in the regular season and a two-game lead on the 11-3 Bills for the top seed in the AFC, Kansas City could take a cautious approach with Mahomes to ensure he's in optimal health for the postseason. |
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Xavier Worthy Xavier Worthy Solid with nine touches Sunday
Sun, Dec 15, 2024, 8:21 PM
Worthy brought in six of 11 targets for 46 yards and rushed three times for 30 yards and a touchdown in the Chiefs' 21-7 win over the Browns on Sunday.
Analysis: The Chiefs made a concerted effort to get the ball into Worthy's hands throughout the afternoon, with the rookie finishing with team-high totals in receptions, receiving yards and targets while also checking in third in rushing yards. Worthy also posted his third rushing touchdown of his career on a 21-yard run early in the second half, and his catch total was a new career high. Worthy has flashed a solid floor of late, as he'll head into a Week 16 home matchup against the Texans on Saturday afternoon with at least four receptions and 46 receiving yards in five consecutive contests. |
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Kareem Hunt Kareem Hunt Matches Pacheco's workload Sunday
Sun, Dec 15, 2024, 8:12 PM
Hunt rushed 13 times for 45 yards and secured one of two targets for four yards in the Chiefs' 21-7 win over the Browns on Sunday.
Analysis: Hunt co-led the Chiefs in carries, tying backfield mate Isiah Pacheco in that category while drawing one more target than the latter. It was an interesting development following the Week 15 division of labor between the two, which saw Pacheco outpace Hunt in rush attempts by a 14-5 margin. Whether it's a one-week outlier or indicative of a stickier trend remains to be seen, but Hunt did outgain Pacheco, who was making only his third appearance since returning from an extended stay on IR due to fractured fibula, by 13 rushing yards. |
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Travis Kelce Travis Kelce Gets four catches in win
Sun, Dec 15, 2024, 7:01 PM
Kelce secured four of eight targets for 27 yards in the Chiefs' 21-7 win over the Browns on Sunday.
Analysis: The star tight end had a quiet afternoon by his standards, but it came on an afternoon when Patrick Mahomes averaged just 4.2 yards per attempt overall. Kelce finished third on the team in receptions and receiving yards while also checking in second in targets, and he'll head into a Week 16 home matchup against the Texans on Saturday afternoon with at least Sunday's catch total in four consecutive contests. |
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DeAndre Hopkins DeAndre Hopkins Five catches in Week 15 win
Sun, Dec 15, 2024, 5:18 PM
Hopkins brought in five of six targets for 36 yards in the Chiefs' 21-7 win over the Browns on Sunday.
Analysis: Hopkins finished second in receptions and receiving yards on the afternoon for the Chiefs, although the latter total was particularly unremarkable. Hopkins has at least four catches in four straight games, but he's been under 40 receiving yards in four of his last five contests overall. Hopkins could continue to struggle with efficiency in a Week 16 home matchup against the Texans on Saturday afternoon if Patrick Mahomes (ankle) is forced to miss the contest and is replaced by Carson Wentz. |
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Isiah Pacheco Isiah Pacheco Splits carries evenly with Hunt
Sun, Dec 15, 2024, 4:49 PM
Pacheco rushed 13 times for 32 yards and brought in his only target for 15 yards in the Chiefs' 21-7 win over the Browns on Sunday.
Analysis: Pacheco and backfield mate Kareem Hunt finished with the same number of carries, one week after Pacheco appeared to reclaim his lead-back role with 16 totes against the Chargers. Hunt actually outgained Pacheco by 13 yards and one target, although the latter did more with his one pass-catching opportunity. The division of labor in the ground attack during a tough Week 16 home matchup Saturday afternoon against the Texans will therefore be interesting to monitor, and if star signal-caller Patrick Mahomes were to miss that game with the ankle injury he suffered Sunday, it could be even tougher sledding on the ground for either back. |
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