Mahomes and Rice practice in full after Week 1 win

Mahomes ran the ball seven times for 23 yards and one touchdown last week before practicing in full this week. Both factors are encouraging. The Chiefs’ star quarterback warrants QB1 treatment against the Colts in Week 2.

Rice earned only two targets in Week 1, yet still technically warrants WR2 treatment based on his theoretical role in the offense, along with his past WR1 performances. The Chiefs notably faced the Broncos’ top-tier defense last week and will get a far softer matchup against the Colts in Week 2.

Rice saw only two targets as the Chiefs clearly had a ground-heavy game plan to ease quarterback Patrick Mahomes back into action in his first game since tearing his ACL in 2025. Furthermore, Rice was largely unable to generate separation against a stingy Denver secondary, oftentimes locked down in man coverage. Even his touchdown was uninspiring aside from a great effort to bounce off the first tackler. Rice appears to be a shaky fantasy bet for managers that invested an early-round pick into his services, particularly in the coming weeks against poor competition. Rice will be a speculative WR3 against the Colts in Week 2.

A rushing score on the team’s first possession appeared to calm fantasy owners’ nerves as that was the area of Mahomes’ game most in question coming off the injury, but concerns grew as he completed just two of his first 12 pass attempts in his first start since suffering a torn ACL in 2025. A passing score to Rashee Rice at the end of the first half elevated his counting stats further before a shuttle pass touchdown to Kenneth Walker after the break took him into fantasy QB1 territory. Even so, the outing was far from perfect as Mahomes missed numerous open receivers on his way to a paltry 6.8 yards per pass attempt. Mahomes’ lone interception was a badly overthrown ball on a miscommunication in the third quarter that could have been much more damning had the Kansas City defense not held the Broncos to a field goal on the resulting possession. With games against the Colts, Dolphins, and Raiders on tap the next three weeks, the Chiefs could continue to lean on Walker after the recent addition out-gained the entire Denver offense by himself in Week 1. Mahomes will be difficult to trust until he proves to be more accurate through the air.

Rice is evidently good to go for Week 1 after a tumultuous offseason, which included a knee operation and a jail stint. The Chiefs’ No. 1 wide receiver looked sluggish in training camp while rookie WR Cyrus Allen shined, but Rice’s status as the entrenched top target earner counts for something. Rice should be viewed as a WR2 entering the season.

Earlier this week, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said there is a “good chance” that Mahomes starts in Week 1. At this point, we would be surprised if he didn’t. The Chiefs’ quarterback is coming off season-ending ACL and LCL tears and will likely scramble less frequently than he did last year, potentially hurting his expected fantasy football output. He is a borderline QB1/2 against the Broncos’ elite defense.

We would be very surprised if Mahomes didn’t start Week 1 given how this has trended this offseason, but Reid left it in some doubt, adding “Most likely, he’ll be the guy that’s out there.” Justin Fields would be the starter if Mahomes couldn’t go, we doubt we’ll be talking about that possibility seriously on Friday or Saturday ahead of Kansas City’s MNF opener.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid and QB Patrick Mahomes believe last season’s run game failed to make defenses respect their play-action run fakes. With Walker now on board, the Chiefs believe both the run game and play-action game will improve. The staff has catered to Walker by installing more plays from under center, which Walker prefers to shotgun. “One way Walker can help transform the offense,” per Taylor, “is by becoming a true dual-threat player.” Reid believes Walker’s “receiving skills and ability to make defenders miss” will allow Reid to incorporate “one of his favorite passing concepts: the variety of plays where a play-action fake to the running back is executed before a short screen pass is thrown back to the same running back.” Walker should be expected to handle a high-end, dual-threat workload. He is a locked-in RB1 with immense upside.

Mahomes will sit the entire preseason, though that shouldn’t be taken as an indication that he won’t be ready for Week 1. He suffered a torn ACL and LCL in Week 15 last year, which would normally make the 2026 opener a tight turnaround. Superstars just recover differently from other players. Mahomes has had no issues throwing or running during training camp and his absence from the preseason is likely a precautionary measure from Andy Reid and the Chiefs. We fully expect him to take on the Broncos when Week 1 rolls around.

It has, by all accounts, been an encouraging training camp for Mahomes, who has been present for every practice and has yet to miss a rep. While all signs seem to point to Mahomes being ready to go for Week 1 against the Broncos, Reid said the team is continuing to take it “day by day” with the star quarterback. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported last week that Mahomes was on track to return, and most indicators seem to support that. Until the team gives us reason to believe Mahomes won’t be ready to face the Broncos, we will cautiously assume he’ll be good to go in a few weeks.