PatrickMahomes

News: 20 hours agoMahomes (knee) opened Week 1 prep as a full practice participant Thursday.

Spin: Per Charles Goldman of AtoZSports.com, head coach Andy Reid relayed prior to the Chiefs' first official practice of Week 1 that Mahomes was "geared up and ready to go" for the season opener Monday versus the Broncos. The quarterback backed up his coach's optimism by taking every rep with the first-team offense Thursday, setting the stage for him to play in his first game since his 2025 season came to an end Dec. 14, when he sustained a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee. Mahomes made tremendous strides in his rehab from surgery and was cleared for full practices prior to training camp, and though he didn't play in any preseason games, he steered clear of any setbacks with his knee. According to Matt Derrick of ChiefsDigest.com, Mahomes said that he'll continue to wear a protective brace on his knee, and while the Chiefs aren't expected to alter their game plans as a result, the 30-year-old could naturally scale back his involvement as a runner coming off major surgery.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Mahomes is a bit of a wild card as he embarks on his 10th season. The two-time NFL MVP followed up a pair of disappointing fantasy seasons (2023-24) with an elite start to 2025 (24.5 points per game during Weeks 1-8) and a disappointing finish that included 15.0 points per game during his final six games and a torn ACL in Week 15. Mahomes' efficiency has dipped the past three seasons, and while he made up ground as a rusher in 2025 (fifth among QBs in rushing yards and TDs despite three missed games), he might not be able to run as often this season as he recovers fully from the knee injury. Mahomes will be ready to play in Week 1, but he hasn't been a consistent fantasy QB1 since 2022. He's a risky mid-round flier in drafts.