• Battle of the tight ends: The best receiving tight finish of all time, Travis Kelce, confronted off towards, doubtlessly, the most effective rookie tight finish of all time in Brock Bowers. Neither’s manufacturing upset.
• Isiah Pacheco returns: The Kansas City Chiefs lead operating again had been out since Week 2, and had the largest run for a Chiefs operating again all season.
• Unlock your edge with a PFF+ subscription: Get full entry to all of our in-season fantasy instruments, together with weekly rankings, the Start-Sit Optimizer and extra. Sign up now!
Estimated studying time: 5 minutes
PFF’s fantasy soccer recap focuses on participant utilization and stats, breaking down all of the very important data you might want to obtain fantasy success in 2024.
Las Vegas Raiders @ Kansas City Chiefs
Isiah Pacheco makes his return: The Chiefs’ lead operating again missed the final 9 video games on account of a fibula fracture.
During Pacheco’s absence, Kareem Hunt was the lead operating again, whereas Carson Steele was the backup, and Samaje Perine was the third-down again. With Pacheco again, Perine remained the third-down again, and Steele was restricted to fullback duties. We can anticipate these two operating backs to proceed in these roles for the remainder of the season.
The huge query is how snaps can be distributed between Hunt and Pacheco. Hunt began the sport and performed the primary snaps on the second drive. Both have been longer drives, which enabled Pacheco to see the sphere. Throughout the sport, if one operating again entered the sport, he would possible keep on the sphere for a couple of consecutive performs, outdoors of third downs.
Pacheco led the way in which on the third drive of the sport and the primary drive after halftime. Throughout the sport, the 2 carried the ball an identical variety of instances. Neither operating again was very efficient till Pacheco broke a 34-yard run within the third quarter. That was twice so long as Hunt’s longest run all season. The two cut up time within the third quarter, however the workforce turned extra towards Pacheco within the fourth quarter for his cross blocking. The Raiders sacked Patrick Mahomes 4 instances, so in response, Pacheco was requested to cross block greater than any Chiefs operating again in a sport this season.
Since this was Pacheco’s first sport again, this was possible Pacheco’s ground and Hunt’s ceiling over the remainder of the season, barring a setback in Pacheco’s restoration. It could be a chance to start out Pacheco subsequent week, however on condition that six groups are on bye weeks, there won’t be higher choices. Hunt can keep on fantasy rosters subsequent week, but when he has one other quiet sport, he might be dropped following subsequent week.
Raiders down their prime two backs once more: Both Zamir White (quadriceps) and Alexander Mattison (ankle) missed their second-straight sport.
Ameer Abdullah began, whereas Sincere McCormick was elevated off the observe squad to be the backup. Abdullah performed 69 snaps to McComick’s eight final week, however McCormick averaged 6.6 yards per stick with it 5 runs in comparison with Abdullah’s 3.5 on eight runs.
Abdullah performed all 15 snaps on the primary two drives, however on the next two, McCormick was the lead again with 10 snaps in comparison with Abdullah’s two. This meant McCormick performed extra snaps within the first half of this sport than he did all of final week. McCormick gave the Raiders extra of a spark within the run sport, however the Raiders continued to make use of Abdullah greater than McCormick within the second half.
Throughout each video games, Abdullah was persistently used on third downs in an identical means that Mattison has been used on third downs all through the season.
Once White and Mattison are wholesome, nearly something is feasible for the Raiders backfield. Mattison will possible return to being the third-down again as a result of he’s saved that position all season when wholesome, however the Raiders might embody any variety of their 4 operating backs as a part of an early-down rotation. McCormick has been the best runner the Raiders have had all season, and he’s earned the fitting to be a part of a rotation, however the Raiders don’t appear comfy making him the principle man on early downs but. Zamir White had the early down position earlier than his harm, Abdulah had on this sport, and Mattison has had it essentially the most this season.
With all that mentioned, McCormick is the one to focus on off the waiver wire. None of them needs to be trusted in fantasy beginning lineups subsequent week until the Raiders are very clear with their intentions, however McCormick has the most effective likelihood of being a fantasy starter sooner or later throughout Weeks 15-17, given he has performed the most effective as a runner.
Monitor D.J. Turner‘s well being: Turner suffered a left knee harm with out getting contacted. He was initially dominated questionable however didn’t return to the sport.
Turner has been the Raiders’ clear third extensive receiver on the depth chart since Davante Adams left the workforce. The Raiders run a number of two tight finish units, so Turner doesn’t play as a lot as most third-receivers, however he’s sometimes caught one or two passes per sport for round 20 yards.
Former Carolina Panthers extensive receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. was signed to the lively roster on Thursday. He debuted with the workforce as a observe squad elevation in Week 11, enjoying seven offensive snaps, however he was saved on the observe squad final week. He was the fourth extensive receiver on the depth chart to start out the sport. After Turner’s harm, Marshall grew to become the third extensive receiver.
If Turner finally ends up lacking time, there’s a likelihood Marshall will stay the third extensive receiver, however Ramel Keyton, Alex Bachman and Kristian Wilkerson have all performed some snaps this season, are nonetheless both on the lively roster or observe squad and will all hypothetically fill that position.
Miscellaneous Notes
- The Chiefs proceed to make use of a heavy rotation of 4 extensive receivers together with tight finish Noah Gray for 3 spots on the sphere. An argument may very well be made that Gray is the second-biggest receiving possibility on the workforce behind Travis Kelce.
- Anthony Firkser was elevated from the Chiefs observe squad after Peyton Hendershot was positioned on injured reserve earlier within the week. Firkser was the third tight finish on the depth chart on this sport, enjoying in three tight finish units or when Travis Kelce or Noah Gray wanted a break. The Chiefs now have three tight ends on injured reserve who’ve performed this season.
- Chiefs kicker Spencer Shrader was inactive on account of a proper hamstring harm. Matthew Wright was elevated from the observe squad to take over the kicking duties.
- Aidan O’Connell was activated from injured reserve and began at quarterback after Gardner Minshew suffered a season-ending harm final week.
- The Raiders tight finish Harrison Bryant missed the final two video games on account of an ankle harm. He was a full participant in observe all week and wasn’t given an harm designation, however he was nonetheless inactive for this sport.
Table Notes
- Snaps embody performs known as again on account of penalties, together with offensive holding or defensive cross interference. The different three stats have these performs eliminated.
- Targets might differ from official NFL sources. The almost definitely discrepancy could be from a transparent thrown-away cross, the place the NFL might give the goal to the closest receiver, whereas this information is not going to.
- Carries are solely on designed performs. Quarterback scrambles gained’t depend for the full variety of carries within the sport.