Jody

Fortson

He’ll miss at least the next four weeks. Fortson left Week 8’s game against the Raiders with a knee injury that he could not put weight on. Fortson had just 40 snaps over the last three weeks after failing to make the Dolphins’ active roster as an offseason signing. We’d be surprised if he returned before January based on how severe the injury looked.

Chiefs trainers helped Fortson leave the field, dragging his right leg behind him, unable to bear weight. It appeared as though Fortson’s knee buckled on the play prior.

Fortson, who has through Super Bowl rings with the Chiefs, signed with Miami this offseason. He didn’t make their final roster and the Chiefs scooped him back up for their practice squad a week ago. Now a member of the active roster, he will serve as a depth option behind Travis Kelce and Noah Gray.

Fortson signed a one-year deal with the Dolphins earlier this offseason but won’t be on the initial 53-man roster. A dislocated shoulder kept him from playing a snap with the Chiefs last season, meaning he hasn’t taken a regular-season snap since 2022. For his career, Fortson has 11 receptions for 123 yards and four touchdowns in 15 regular season games. This probably isn’t the last time we’ll hear from Fortson, who is just 28 years old and has managed to stick on rosters since entering the league as a UDFA in 2019.

Fortson suffered a shoulder injury in mid-August and missed all of last season. The dislocated shoulder ended his 2023 campaign, but the fifth-year pro should be healthy and ready to go as he will now look to restart his career in a new location. Fortson reportedly had multiple suitors on the open market.

As an exclusive rights free agent, Fortson’s only option is to sign a deal with the Chiefs to return next season. As the backup to Travis Kelce, Fortson carries some fantasy relevance should Kelce ever miss time. Last season, he appeared in 13 games while posting a 9-108-2 receiving line before being placed on injured reserve to close out the regular season.

Fortson had been on the shelf since Week 16 with a shoulder injury that caused the tight end to miss the previous four games. The timing of the activation raises some questions regarding the level of health of starting tight end Travis Kelce, who has been bothered by a back injury following the team’s Divisional Round win over the Jaguars. When active earlier in the season, Fortson served as the third tight end behind Kelce and Noah Gray - a role he should resume. Fortson’s activation should send Blake Bell back to the inactives list on game day.

Reid noted that Jody Fortson, who is on injured reserve with an elbow injury, is more likely to be activated than Edwards-Helaire. Given Reid’s lack of optimism about CEH returning, it’s fairly safe to rule him out for the AFC Championship. Jerick McKinnon and Isiah Pacheco will split the Chiefs’ backfield again this week. CEH will look to return for the Super Bowl if Kansas City beats the Bengals.

Fortson was an exclusive rights free agent meaning his only option was to return to Kansas City once the Chiefs extended a tender to him. He appeared in six games before suffering a torn Achilles’ tendon last year. Fortson caught all five of his targets for 47 yards and three scores. He also contributes as a blocker and special teamer.