The AFC West could have two incredibly potent offenses and two rather mediocre units in 2021.
When Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce are healthy, the Kansas City Chiefs are the best offense in the NFL.
The Los Angeles Chargers could join them among the league’s elites if Justin Herbert can take another step forward after a phenomenal rookie season. Named Offensive Rookie of the Year, Herbert finished as the QB9 in fantasy. With plenty of weapons around him, he and the Chargers could become an offensive juggernaut.
Speaking of weapons, the Denver Broncos have plenty of interesting ones. However, their upside could be capped by lackluster quarterback play, whether it’s the more free-flying Drew Lock or the cautious Teddy Bridgewater.
Then there’s the Las Vegas Raiders. Does anyone really know what they are doing anymore?
Let’s dig deeper into this division in this dynasty roundup.
Check out our Consensus Dynasty Rankings here 
Dynasty Stock Watch
QB Drew Lock: Down
QB Teddy Bridgewater: Neutral
Denver’s quarterback situation is one of the most muddled in the league. The Broncos could have drafted Justin Fields or Mac Jones ninth overall, but they elected to take a defensive back Patrick Surtain II. The fact the team traded for Bridgewater just days before the draft tells me the organization likes what it has on both sides of the ball and wants a quarterback who simply won’t screw it up. That’s exactly what Bridgewater is.
This offense probably has more upside with Lock under center, but the Broncos don’t appear comfortable investing in him long term. I’d avoid this QB situation in dynasty formats.
RB Melvin Gordon: Down
RB Javonte Williams: Neutral
Heading into the end of April, it seemed like Melvin Gordon had it made. Phillip Lindsay was out of town, so it appeared Gordon would enter the summer as Denver’s lead back. That all changed on night two of the NFL Draft when Denver took Williams, whom some rated as the most talented tailback in this rookie class.
Williams is clearly the one you want in dynasty leagues because of his three-down abilities and youth. He could be a bell-cow back down the road. Meanwhile, I’d shed Gordon off all my teams unless I’m in contention. Gordon is 28 years old and entering the final year of his contract in Denver. He’ll likely lead this committee to start the year, but who knows how long that will last.
WR Courtland Sutton: Neutral
WR Jerry Jeudy: Neutral
WR KJ Hamler: Neutral
WR Seth Williams: Neutral
I’m a huge fan of Courtland Sutton, but I have to see how he performs coming off a torn ACL before fully falling back in love. I wasn’t as big of a fan of Jeudy as many draft experts, and there were some ugly moments during his rookie year. Yet it’s foolish to write him off this early in his career. Hamler and Williams could be intriguing ancillary weapons, but can the Broncos really unleash Hamler’s speed if Bridgewater is under center?
Overall, Denver has an interesting receiving corps. However, there are a ton of questions. Can Sutton return to his 2019 form? Will Jeudy improve as a sophomore? And will any of it matter if the conservative Bridgewater is throwing the rock?
TE Noah Fant: Neutral
Fant has loads of potential and talent, but his 2020 season left me wanting more, particularly in the red zone. Going forward, he’s a solid long-term starter at an incredibly thin position. I’m just not as sure that he’ll ever be the elite option we had hoped.
Bold 2021 Dynasty Prediction: Williams overtakes Gordon as the RB1 by midseason.
Dynasty Stock Watch
QB Patrick Mahomes: Up
Can Mahomes’ stock ever not go up? An injury is the only thing stopping him from a top-five finish at the position.
RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Down
Edwards-Helaire’s stock got so high last summer that it was almost impossible for him to meet expectations. Needless to say, those who took CEH at the end of Round 1 or early Round 2 were left sorely disappointed. As the RB16 in dynasty leagues, per our Expert Consensus Rankings, CEH could be a strong buy-low as a post-hype sleeper.
WR Tyreek Hill: Up
Unless Hill’s speed suddenly disappears, he’s a lock to finish as a top player at the position. He’s only 27, so expect Hill to remain at the top of his game for at least another few seasons.
WR Mecole Hardman: Neutral
Hardman still intrigues me as a Hill light. He has blazing speed and saw his usage increase in his second season. He’s worth holding onto as a high upside option.
WR Cornell Powell: Neutral
A late bloomer in college, Powell is worth a flyer late in rookie drafts.
TE Travis Kelce: Neutral
Kelce put up career numbers in receptions, yards, and touchdowns in his age-31 season. If you’re a contender in dynasty, don’t try to guess when the cliff is coming. Instead, just enjoy the ride.
Bold 2021 Dynasty Prediction: Powell emerges as the team’s second-leading receiver as a rookie.
Dynasty Stock Watch
QB Derek Carr: Down
Unless you’re in a Superflex format, don’t even bother with Carr. He’s a QB2 with top-15 upside who could get cut after the 2021 season.
RB Josh Jacobs: Stock: Down
RB Kenyan Drake: Stock: Down
Jacobs is insanely talented, only 23 years old, and just finished as the RB8. Yet the Raiders don’t seem to care and/or don’t realize what they have. Vegas insulted my intelligence by signing Drake this offseason. Drake is an average player who was a gigantic disappointment for fantasy managers in 2020. But he’ll surely factor in enough to cap Jacobs’ upside for the next two years.
WR Henry Ruggs III: Neutral
Like his fellow Alabama teammate Jeudy, Ruggs was pretty disappointing as a rookie. He has speed that kills, but he clearly requires a lot more development as a route-runner and technician. I’m keeping Ruggs neutral because players with his abilities don’t come around often. Although I need to see a lot more in Year 2, I wouldn’t discourage trading him for rookie picks or slightly more established pass-catchers with perhaps less upside.
WR Bryan Edwards: Neutral
Edwards caught just 11 passes as a rookie. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he could develop into a solid possession receiver. Right now, he’s nothing more than a depth stash.
TE Darren Waller: Up
Waller is a great player who gets incredible volume at a thin position. He could also command a tremendous trade haul if you’re looking to rebuild.
Bold 2021 Dynasty Prediction: The Raiders move on from Carr in 2022, with their sights finally set on adding a long-term quarterback prospect.
Dynasty Stock Watch
QB Justin Herbert: Up
Was his rookie breakout a fluke? That’s the question Herbert has to answer in 2021. If he passes the test, he could be a top-three quarterback in dynasty leagues.
RB Austin Ekeler: Neutral
Ekeler is a clear RB2 for me, especially in PPR. After an injury-riddled campaign, you may have to wait for a couple of big games to sell high.
RB Larry Rountree III: Neutral
Rountree is purely a late stash in rookie drafts, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he overtook Joshua Kelley and Justin Jackson for the No. 2 role behind Ekeler.
WR Keenan Allen: Neutral
Allen is 29, but his game is built to last. His route-running abilities and technique should give him greater career longevity. I’m not running to sell Allen just yet, especially with Herbert taking the reins for the full season.
WR Mike Williams: Down
It feels like the end of the road is coming for Williams. We tried for a couple of years to chase his 10-touchdown season in 2018. But it seems that was a fluke. Move on.
WR Josh Palmer: Neutral
Palmer is worth stashing late in rookie drafts, as the Chargers don’t really have established depth at receiver. If Williams leaves town in 2022, Palmer could start in his second season.
TE Jared Cook: Down
In dynasty leagues, I’d rather take a flyer on a young player with more upside than roll with the 34-year-old Cook.
Bold 2021 Dynasty Prediction: Herbert finishes the season as the QB1 in fantasy and is a top-three QB in dynasty leagues in 2022.
Check out our Consensus Dynasty Rankings here
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Matt Barbato is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Matt, check out his archive and follow him @RealMattBarbato.
