Fantasy Football Player Notes

Kenneth Walker arrives in Kansas City as the Chiefs' new lead back. Walker had a disappointing season in 2025 from a fantasy standpoint as the RB28 in fantasy points per game, but it's easy to see why it unfolded that way. Walker had to split the passing game usage with Zach Charbonnet, and he was shown the cold shoulder by Seattle in the red zone. Last year, Walker had a 31.9% route share versus Charbonnet's 34.7% route share (per Fantasy Points Data). In the games that Charbonnet was active, Walker saw only 34.8% of the running back red zone rushing work (30 red zone carries versus Charbonnet's 51). With a lucrative contract signed and delivered for Walker, I don't see him missing out on the high usage boat in 2026. Talent isn't the problem for Walker; it was just the way that Seattle deployed him. Last year, Walker ranked second in explosive run rate, first in missed tackle rate, ninth in yards per route run, and 12th in first downs per route run. He was a per-touch efficiency marvel. I don't foresee him being a true bellcow with Kansas City, and I don't want that because he has dealt with injury issues in the past. With his salivating mix of talent and efficiency, Walker should be an explosive RB1 in 2026.

Rashee Rice has a super-high ceiling given how much he was targeted in the red zone this past season (a ton of screen passes). Rice finished top-5 among WRs in PPG during his truncated season. 7th overall in red-zone targets in just 8 games played. Given that his draft price might be slightly reduced due to his off-field issues and the injured QB...Rice could easily be a league winner after it was announced in early April that he would not face discipline from the NFL.

Our first report on Patrick Mahomes' return from injury came on January 15th, when he claimed that he is aiming to return for Week 1 with no restrictions. Given his mid-December surgery, Week 1 seems aggressively optimistic (less than 9 months).
That's really the main question mark regarding Mahomes - when will he return and how effective will he be? Especially with his mobility. Mahomes ran a lot more in 2025 than he has in years past, hitting career-highs across the board (QB2 in PPG). But his passing has dipped in four consecutive seasons. And the injury makes it seem very much less likely we get Mahomes running nearly as much, especially to keep him out of harm's way. Low-end QB1 territory feels right for the Chiefs QB, weighing his early-season performance with a high return in the latter portion of the 2026 season.

Travis Kelce will turn 37 in October, but he's committed to playing at least one more season for the Chiefs. Kelce finished TE3 in fantasy scoring last season, catching 76 passes for 851 yards and five touchdowns. But the longtime fantasy star's efficiency has been plummeting. Kelce has averaged 8.6 yards per target for his career, but he's averaged just 6.9 YPT over the last two seasons. Kelce has averaged 2.05 yards per route run for his career, but he's been just under 1.50 YPRR each of the last two seasons. The Chiefs didn't add any significant pass catchers in the offseason, so Kelce still figures to be a prominent target earner in Andy Reid's offense. It's just a matter of how much he can do with those targets. The good news is that Kelce has become a budget option at the position and will probably be available in the middle rounds of fantasy drafts.

Xavier Worthy's sophomore season never gained traction, as injuries, inconsistent quarterback availability, and the return of established weapons kept him from carving out a meaningful fantasy role. The speedster still flashed explosive upside and posted stronger numbers when paired with Patrick Mahomes, but Kansas City's offense clearly revolved around Rashee Rice whenever he was available. Worthy's usage suggests better days could be ahead, especially after dramatically underperforming expectations compared to Year 1. If Rice misses time again or the Chiefs' offense rebounds, Worthy remains an intriguing post-hype breakout candidate entering his age-23 season.

The Chiefs selected Emmett Johnson in the fifth round of the NFL Draft. He arrives in Kansas City after a final season in college, where he ranked sixth in missed tackles forced and 52nd in yards per route run and elusive rating (per PFF). Johnson has three-down ability in the NFL after lining up in the slot or out wide with 18% of his snaps in 2025. He's a strong handcuff who should earn the RB2 role for the team behind Kenneth Walker, in short order.

The Chiefs have the third-easiest schedule to start the year (easiest through first four weeks). Gives ample time for Patrick Mahomes to be brought up to speed (also has a bye in Week 5) and for the defense to prove it's worth. KC added to its defensive line this offseason but lost key secondary pieces, suggesting they face a surplus of pass attempts in 2026. They also finished 30th in opponent fumbles and last in non-offensive TDs (0). Week 1 is at home versus Denver, followed by matchups versus Indy, Miami and Las Vegas.

Harrison Butker has become a less dependable fantasy kicker in recent years. It's not because Butker has been substantially less accurate. It's because the Kansas City offense has been scoring fewer touchdowns in recent years, giving Butker fewer freebie extra points. In Butker's first five seasons, from 2017 to 2021, he averaged 3.0 extra points per game. In 2022 and 2023, Butker averaged 2.5 extra points per game. In 2024 and 2025, Butker averaged 2.0 extra points a game. Butker's yearly finished in fantasy points per game among kickers: second, sixth, second, 13th, ninth, 20th, 10th, 26th, 15th. The Chiefs offense might not be among the NFL's most explosive in 2026 with Patrick Mahomes coming off a major knee injury. Consider Butker a second-tier kicker option.

Tyquan Thornton re-signed with the Chiefs on a two-year deal worth $11 million. This is notable given that only Xavier Worthy and Jalen Royals were the other Chiefs WRs under contract for the 2027 season.
The speedy wide receiver had his most productive season in the NFL last year, catching 19 passes for 438 yards and three touchdowns (on nearly 1,000 air yards and 23 deep targets). He stepped up at the start of the year due to Worthy's injury and Rashee Rice's suspension. Over the first 5 weeks of the year, Thornton averaged 10.3 fantasy points per game.
His 2025 yardage and touchdown totals set new career-highs, and he averaged 23.1 yards per reception (first in the NFL). Also had zero recorded drops.

Cyrus Allen might be one of the more interesting deep sleeper receivers from the 2026 class after landing in Kansas City. The former Bearcats wideout has quietly produced everywhere he has played, showcasing strong target-earning ability, separation skills, and positional versatility across multiple stops. With long-term uncertainty surrounding several Chiefs pass-catchers, Allen has a realistic pathway to eventually carving out a meaningful role in the offense. He remains a long-shot Day 3 prospect for redraft leagues, but dynasty managers looking for cheap upside should keep him firmly on the radar.