NBA Postseason Best Bets (5/14)
Alex Christenson
It’s time to look ahead to the 2023 NFL season! Follow along with all our fantasy football team offseason roundups here.
It’s been a very busy NFL offseason, with free-agent signings, coaching changes and several new players entering the league via the NFL Draft. As we prepare for the 2023 fantasy football season, it’s critical to have a full understanding of each team’s off-season moves. Our NFL team roundup series today covers the Kansas City Chiefs.
2023 NFL Team Roundup: Kansas City Chiefs
2022 Results
Record: 14-3; 1st in the AFC West
Season End: Beat Philadelphia Eagles, Super Bowl Champions
Kansas City Chiefs Offseason Summary
Draft
1.31: Felix Anudike-Uzomah, EDGE, Kansas State
2.55: Rashee Rice, WR, SMU
3.92: Wanya Morris, OT, Oklahoma
4.119: Chamarri Conner, S, Virginia Tech
4.166: BJ Thompson, EDGE, Stephen F. Austin
6.194: Keondre Coburn, DT, Texas
7.250: Nic Jones, CB, Ball State
Felix Anudike-Uzomah, EDGE (1.31)
The hometown product out of Kansas State adds much-needed depth on the edge following the departure of Frank Clark in free agency. Felix Anudike-Uzomah broke out in 2021, earning first-team all-conference honors, leading the FBS in forced fumbles (6) and finishing inside the top 10 in sacks (11). In his final season (2022), Anudike-Uzomah won Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year after recording a team-high 11 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks.
Rashee Rice, WR (2.55)
The Chiefs traded up in the second round, sending picks No. 63, 122 and 249 to the Lions in exchange for picks No. 55 and 194. With their first pick of Day 2 (No. 55), Kansas City added SMU wide receiver Rashee Rice, hoping to fill the void left by JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman in free agency. Last season, Rice earned first-team All-American Athletic Conference honors, finishing top-five in the FBS in receptions (96) and third in receiving yards (1,355). He also led the Mustangs in receiving touchdowns, finding the end zone 10 times in 12 games.
Additions
Free agent signings: OT Jawaan Taylor, EDGE Charles Omenihu, OT Donovan Smith, LB Drue Tranquill, S Mike Edwards, QB Blaine Gabbert, WR Richie James, EDGE Matt Dickerson, CB Lamar Jackson
Jawaan Taylor, OT
After letting Orlando Brown walk in free agency, the Chiefs signed former Jaguars OT, Jawaan Taylor, who is coming off a career year. Last season, Taylor ranked top-15 in PFF pass-blocking grade (76.7) and pressure rate allowed (5.2%) among all tackles in true pass sets. He also allowed pressure on just 2.5% of dropbacks, which was the third lowest at the position.
Charles Omenihu EDGE
Last season with the 49ers, Charles Omenihu career-highs across the board, racking up 54 pressures, 16 quarterback hits, and 4.5 sacks. He was also PFF’s No. 1 ranked edge in free agency.
Richie James, WR
Richie James stepped up for the Giants last season, tying Saquon Barkley for a team-high 57 receptions on 70 targets for 569 receiving yards, and four touchdowns. James was the second-leading receiver for the G-Men despite starting only four games. He also played on special teams as the primary punt returner.
Departures
OT Orlando Brown, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, S Juan Thornhill, DT Khalen Saunders, EDGE Frank Clark, WR Mecole Hardman, FB Michael Burton, RB Ronald Jones, WR Bryan Edwards, DT Byron Cowart
Orlando Brown, OT
In two seasons with the Chiefs, Orlando Brown started 33 of 34 possible games in the regular season games and was a Pro Bowler twice. Last season, Brown recorded a league-high 843 opportunities in pass protection and finished 31st in PFF pass blocking grade. He also ceded the most pressures and hurries at the position in 2022.
In his lone season with the Chiefs, JuJu Smith Schuster was the team’s leading wide receiver, trailing only Travis Kelce in targets (101), receptions (78), and receiving yards (933) in 2022.
Frank Clark, EDGE
Clark started in 55 regular-season games since joining Kansas City in 2019, recording 127 combined tackles, 23.5 sacks, and 59 quarterback hits over the last four seasons. He also had seven pass breakups and six forced fumbles during his tenure.
Mecole Hardman, WR
The Chiefs’ 2019 second-round pick (No. 56), Mecole Hardman played four seasons with the team, recording 220 targets, 151 receptions, 2,088 receiving yards and 16 receiving touchdowns in his career. He also operated as a gadget player logging 125 rushing yards on 20 attempts, and two rushing touchdowns. Hardman appeared in eight games last season before suffering an abdominal injury.
Kansas City Chiefs Fantasy Outlook
The four most intriguing fantasy options:
Travis Kelce, TE
Travis Kelce continued to dominate the tight end position, finishing as the TE1 overall for the sixth time in the last seven seasons. In 2022, Kelce posted career-highs in targets (152), receptions (110) and touchdowns (12), to go along with 1,338 receiving yards on the season. His 316.3 PPR fantasy points in Weeks 1-18 was the second most by any tight end in NFL history and over 100 points more than the TE2 (T.J. Hockenson), last season. Entering his age-34 season, Kelce has shown no signs of slowing down and belongs in a tier of his own, as a true separator in the tight end position.
Patrick Mahomes, QB
In his first season without Tyreek Hill, Patrick Mahomes somehow got even better, winning the MVP title for the second time in five seasons. He was the only player to pass for 5,000-plus yards last season (5,250), setting a new franchise record. Mahomes also led the NFL in touchdowns (45), scoring 41 times through the air and four on the ground. He did a little bit of everything on offense, logging 5,608 total yards, the most by any player in NFL history. After finishing as the QB1 overall in 2022, Mahomes has as good of a case as any to be the first player selected at the position.
Kadarius Toney, WR
The former 2021 first-round wide receiver, Kadarius Toney was a midseason acquisition for the Chiefs, swapped for a 2023 third-round compensatory pick and a 2023 sixth-round pick. Toney appeared in 10 games following the trade (including the playoffs), catching 21 passes on 27 targets for 221 yards and three touchdowns. Although he played less than 45% of snaps in every game during that stretch, his 29.4% targets per route run was the highest mark at the position. He also saw a handful of gadget plays, totaling 8 carries for 96 yards and a touchdown. With the departure of the team’s leading wide receiver, JuJu Smith-Schuster, early reports suggest Toney is the favorite to emerge as the WR1. The upside for Toney heading into 2023 is undeniable, however, the biggest question mark is his health. Since entering the league, Toney has played in only 19 out of 34 regular season games, with a 70%-plus snap share just once.
Isiah Pacheco, RB
Initially pegged as the RB3 on the depth chart 2022 seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco carved a significant role down the stretch, averaging over 15 opportunities per game from Week 10 on. Despite playing less than 60% of snap in 16 of 17 regular season games, Pacheco still led the team in carries (170), rushing yards (830) and rushing touchdowns (5). The main knock against Pacheco last season was his lack of involvement in the passing game, seeing just 14 targets come his way for 13 grabs and 130 receiving yards. There is risk in relying on a two-down grinder playing for the league’s pass-heaviest team, however, he is still likely the lead back tied to the No. 1 scoring offense. His primary competition next season is 31-year-old Jerick McKinnon and Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who was already being phased out of the offense before his season was cut short due to an ankle injury in Week 11. Pacheco is also dealing with injuries of his own, still recovering from hand and shoulder surgeries.
2023 Outlook
DraftKings Sportsbook Wins Over/Under: 11.5 (-140, +120)
AFC West odds: -165
The Chiefs remain the team to beat in the NFL with the shortest Super Bowl odds entering next season (+600). They have been arguably the hottest team over the past decade, winning their division in seven straight seasons and logging double-digit victories in nine of 10 seasons. Since 2019, Kansas City has hosted the last four AFC Championship games and advanced to the Super Bowl three times.
