Predicting which skill-position player Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid's gameplan will favor is a form of whack-a-mole, but it's a game in which fantasy managers have to dabble.
Yet again, the back-to-back defending Super Bowl champs are atop the AFC, with Reid's offense regularly cooking up innovative ways for quarterback Patrick Mahomes and their ever-changing cast of pass-catchers and running backs to create space.
This week, it's a Black Friday date against the Las Vegas Raiders in which we'll take a look at three Chiefs: running back Isiah Pacheco, tight end Noah Gray, and wide receiver Xavier Worthy.
Should I Start Isiah Pacheco for Fantasy Football?
Fantasy managers who have held onto Pacheco through a mostly fruitless regular season are finally about to be rewarded for their patience, as the running back is set to return in Week 13 against the Raiders. The Rutgers product is a regular starting option when healthy, but health is still the question here.
Isiah Pacheco and Charles Omenihu will play for the Chiefs on Friday against the Raiders as long as they don't have any setbacks, Andy Reid said.
— Adam Teicher (@adamteicher) November 27, 2024
Will Kansas City give Pacheco a full workload in his first game back from a fractured fibula? The smart money is on the Chiefs easing him into a rotation with fellow running back Kareem Hunt. Managers should weigh their other options at running back and consider Pacheco a deep-league flex option with some receiving upside.
Should I Start Noah Gray for Fantasy Football?
The Chiefs have been exceptionally good at getting the ball into Gray's hands when they want to, as he has a 75% catch percentage, has caught 10 of his past 11 targets, and scored four times in the past two weeks.
Chiefs have been ramping up Noah Gray a little bit in recent weeks.
He's mostly been an outlet or schemed open leak player while w/ KC. Late couple games they seem to be targeting him more vs + matchups over the MoF at the marker/GL and vertically downfield. pic.twitter.com/aJHoQVM2Mq
— Matt Lane (@Matty_KCSN) November 26, 2024
Gray's massive production the past two weeks -- back-to-back top-five finishes among PPR tight ends -- were tied to scoring touchdowns at an unsustainable rate. Despite a matchup against a Raiders defense that ranks 30th against tight ends, Gray should only be started in leagues that play two tight ends, and even then, only as a TE2.
Should I Start Xavier Worthy for Fantasy Football?
Xavier Worthy's rookie year has been a fantasy adaptation of the Michael Scott "snip-snap" GIF: A scene-crashing season-opener followed by alternating periods of decent production and outright famine. The past two weeks have been better, though, with 11 total targets, eight catches, and a touchdown.
The numbers haven't been that big but these last 2 games have been the best of Xavier Worthy's rookie season.
Running real routes, playing through contact and of course speed. #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/AWC4SJmh3Z
— Price Carter (@priceacarter) November 25, 2024
Mahomes is liable to have ample time against a Raiders team that ranks 29th in pressure percentage, but Worthy's hot-and-cold role has been too difficult to rely upon. He should be reserved only for leagues that have two or more flex spots.
Popular Week 13 Searches - Start/Sit Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 13 searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Isiah Pacheco, Xavier Worthy, Noah Gray compared to others. You can also use the free Who Should I Start tool to run your own start/sit comparisons, up to four players at once:
Kareem Hunt or Isiah Pacheco
Xavier Worthy or Wandale Robinson
David Montgomery or Isiah Pacheco
Nick Chubb or Isiah Pacheco
Tyrone Tracyjr or Isiah Pacheco
Cedric Tillman or Xavier Worthy
Jayden Reed or Xavier Worthy
Quentin Johnston or Xavier Worthy
Jk Dobbins or Isiah Pacheco
Noah Gray or Noah Fant
Xavier Worthy or Devaughn Vele
James Conner or Isiah Pacheco
Jayden Reed or Isiah Pacheco
Jaylen Waddle or Xavier Worthy
Luke Schoonmaker or Noah Gray
Najee Harris or Isiah Pacheco
Rico Dowdle or Isiah Pacheco
Calvin Ridley or Isiah Pacheco
Dandre Swift or Isiah Pacheco
Demario Douglas or Xavier Worthy
Isiah Pacheco or Bucky Irving
Isiah Pacheco or Chase Brown
Isiah Pacheco or Christian Mccaffrey
Isiah Pacheco or Deebo Samuelsr
Isiah Pacheco or Garrett Wilson
Isiah Pacheco or Jaylen Warren
Isiah Pacheco or Jordan Addison
Isiah Pacheco or Kareem Hunt
Isiah Pacheco or Najee Harris
Isiah Pacheco or Tyreek Hill
Jeremy Mcnichols or Xavier Worthy
Jerry Jeudy or Xavier Worthy
Jordan Addison or Xavier Worthy
Kareem Hunt or Xavier Worthy
Khalil Shakir or Xavier Worthy
Mark Andrews or Noah Gray
Michael Pittmanjr or Xavier Worthy
Nick Westbrookikhine or Xavier Worthy
Noah Gray or Devaughn Vele
Noah Gray or Will Dissly
Romeo Doubs or Xavier Worthy
Sam Laporta or Noah Gray
Taysom Hill or Xavier Worthy
Will Dissly or Noah Gray
Xavier Worthy or Jauan Jennings
Xavier Worthy or Jaylen Waddle
Zach Ertz or Noah Gray
Bucky Irving or Isiah Pacheco
Bucky Irving or Xavier Worthy
Cade Otton or Noah Gray
Calvin Ridley or Isiah Pacheco
Chase Brown or Isiah Pacheco
Chase Brown or Isiah Pacheco
Chuba Hubbard or Isiah Pacheco
Courtland Sutton or Xavier Worthy
Dallas Goedert or Noah Gray
Dalton Schultz or Noah Gray
Dandre Swift or Xavier Worthy
Darnell Mooney or Xavier Worthy
Deandre Hopkins or Xavier Worthy
Devaughn Vele or Noah Gray
George Pickens or Isiah Pacheco
Isiah Pacheco or Austin Ekeler
Isiah Pacheco or Calvin Ridley
Isiah Pacheco or Jayden Reed
Isiah Pacheco or Jayden Reed
Isiah Pacheco or Jk Dobbins
Isiah Pacheco or Jonathan Taylor
Isiah Pacheco or Jonathan Taylor
Isiah Pacheco or Jordan Addison
Isiah Pacheco or Rachaad White
Isiah Pacheco or Taysom Hill
Isiah Pacheco or Terrell Jennings
Isiah Pacheco or Tyrone Tracyjr
James Cook or Isiah Pacheco
Javonte Williams or Isiah Pacheco
Jaxon Smithnjigba or Isiah Pacheco
Jayden Reed or Isiah Pacheco
Jaylen Waddle or Xavier Worthy
Keenan Allen or Xavier Worthy
Kenneth Walkeriii or Isiah Pacheco
Kyle Pitts or Noah Gray
Marquez Valdesscantling or Xavier Worthy
Mike Gesicki or Noah Gray
Noah Gray or Dalton Kincaid
Noah Gray or Hunter Henry
Noah Gray or Jerry Jeudy
Noah Gray or Luke Schoonmaker
Noah Gray or Mark Andrews
Noah Gray or Mark Andrews
Noah Gray or Pat Freiermuth
Noah Gray or Sam Laporta
Quentin Johnston or Noah Gray
Quentin Johnston or Xavier Worthy
Rhamondre Stevenson or Xavier Worthy
Rico Dowdle or Isiah Pacheco
Rome Odunze or Xavier Worthy
Romeo Doubs or Xavier Worthy
Tank Dell or Xavier Worthy
Taysom Hill or Isiah Pacheco
Taysom Hill or Noah Gray
Travis Etiennejr or Isiah Pacheco
Tyjae Spears or Xavier Worthy
Tyreek Hill or Isiah Pacheco
Tyrone Tracyjr or Isiah Pacheco
Will Dissly or Noah Gray
Xavier Legette or Xavier Worthy
Xavier Legette or Xavier Worthy
Xavier Legette or Xavier Worthy
Xavier Worthy or Allen Lazard
Xavier Worthy or Amari Cooper
Xavier Worthy or Demario Douglas
Xavier Worthy or Dk Metcalf
Xavier Worthy or Jakobi Meyers
Xavier Worthy or Jameson Williams
Xavier Worthy or Jaylen Waddle
Xavier Worthy or Jaylen Warren
Xavier Worthy or Jaylen Warren
Xavier Worthy or Jeremy Mcnichols
Xavier Worthy or Jordan Addison
Xavier Worthy or Kareem Hunt
Xavier Worthy or Ladd Mcconkey
Xavier Worthy or Marquez Valdes
Xavier Worthy or Nick Chubb
Xavier Worthy or Noah Gray
Xavier Worthy or Rashod Bateman
Xavier Worthy or Rome Odunze
Xavier Worthy or Tj Hockenson
Dalton Kincaid or Noah Gray
Devonta Smith or Isiah Pacheco
Isiah Pacheco or Javonte Williams
Isiah Pacheco or Jaxon Smithnjigba
Isiah Pacheco or Jaylen Waddle
Isiah Pacheco or Malik Nabers
Luke Schoonmaker or Noah Gray
Noah Gray or Hunter Henry
Noah Gray or Isaiah Likely
Noah Gray or Trey Benson
Rachaad White or Isiah Pacheco
Tee Higgins or Isiah Pacheco
Tony Pollard or Isiah Pacheco
Xavier Worthy or Cedric Tillman
Xavier Worthy or Jameson Williams
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