Marquise Brown Going on IR | Are Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy Good Starting Options in Week 2 and Beyond?

Discussing the injury update for Marquise Brown and what it means for the Chiefs' offense.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ offense has plenty of playmakers, but they learned today that Marquise Brown was going on the injured reserve list.

Let’s talk about what it means for the wide receiver and then the rest of the Chiefs’ offense, both in week 2 and beyond.

Looking for start/sit help? Be sure to check out the FantasySP Who Should I Start tool.

Browns’ Injury Update

Brown missed week 1 with a shoulder injury he suffered in the preseason, and after not getting back on the practice field this week, is going on IR.

Brown is in his first season with the Chiefs, after spending time with the Baltimore Ravens and Arizona Cardinals in the first five seasons of his career. Landing in Kansas City had fantasy owners dreaming of big things for Brown, but now he’s going to miss at least the first five weeks of this season.

Everything I’m reading suggests Brown will be out even longer than that, so that is a big blow for the fantasy owners that drafted Brown, but also a big opportunity for some other players in the Chiefs’ offense.

Wide Receiver Fantasy Outlook

We’ll start with the KC wide receivers, who should see the biggest impact with Brown out of the lineup.

In week 1, the Chiefs ran 54 offensive plays. Rashee Rice had 42 snaps, while Xavier Worthy was at 34. Justin Watson played 28 snaps, while JuJu Smith-Schuster (12) and Skyy Moore (10) also saw a little action.

Rice was targeted a team-high nine times, with no other player over four. He made seven grabs for 103 yards.

Worthy was targeted three times, making two grabs for 47 yards and a touchdown. He added a 21-yard rushing touchdown on his lone rush.

Watson had just one catch for 25 yards on his only target. Smith-Schuster dropped his lone target, which likely would have been a touchdown. Moore was not targeted.

As the snap counts would indicate, Rice and Worthy are going to be the top wideouts with Brown out, while Watson is the No. 3 option. Only Rice and Worthy are starting options in fantasy leagues, however - at this point, I’d say both guys need to be playing every week, regardless of the matchup.

Depending on how long Brown is forced to miss, I’m wondering if the Chiefs won’t target another receiver in free agency or through a trade. They could get by with Rice and Worthy, but an injury to either guy would decimate the WR room and possibly hinder the team’s chances of contending.

Tight End Fantasy Outlooks

Travis Kelce being around is like having another receiver, but he also struggled in week 1. Across 48 snaps, he had just three catches for 34 yards.

Fellow TE Noah Gray played 29 snaps and went for 37 yards on three catches and targets.

Rookie Jared Wiley only played 11 snaps, but maybe he could get more involved as a pass catcher now that Brown is out an extended period.

I’m not giving up on Kelce after a week, and with Brown out, that should leave plenty of opportunities for him to factor into the offense. Keep starting Kelce. I don’t think Gray is going anywhere though, and Wiley could also factor in at some point too. 

Kelce is the guy you want, but there’s room on the offense for Gray or Wiley to also make a decent contribution every week. Definitely keep an eye on them.

Running Back Fantasy Outlooks

Isiah Pacheco absolutely dominated the snaps and touches in week 1. 

He was on the field for 43 snaps, getting 17 touches in that time. He rushed 15 times for 45 yards and a touchdown, while adding 33 yards on two catches and three targets.

Samaje Perine played eight snaps and caught one of his two targets for 10 yards - he didn’t get a rushing attempt.

Carson Steele got two rushes across five snaps, gaining just three yards.

This backfield belongs to Pacheco, but the Chiefs are going to need another back to step up eventually. Not having Brown around for several more weeks might put a touch more on Pacheco’s plate, so he’ll remain a good starting option.

Patrick Mahomes Fantasy Outlook

Mahomes put up good numbers without Brown in week 1, and it’s Patrick Mahomes, so there’s really not much to worry about.

There’s enough playmakers on the team (more than last year, at least) to turn in good fantasy outings every single week. You should be starting Mahomes every week anyways, and this injury to Brown doesn’t change that.

Week 2 Start Decisions

The Chiefs have another tough test in week 2, taking on a Cincinnati Bengals team that will be desperate for a win after suffering an upset loss to the New England Patriots in week 1.

Mahomes is projected for 19 fantasy points. Again, he needs to be starting every week, regardless of matchups and who he has at his disposal.

Pacheco is projected for 16 PPR fantasy points. Even against the best defenses, Pacheco needs to be started as the clear workhorse on a high-flying offense, and the Bengals’ defense struggled against backs in week 1, so Pacheco is a must start this week. Avoid Steele and Perine in all formats.

At receiver, Rice is projected for 14 points, while Worthy is at 11. After their week 1 performances, both need to be in your lineup - if you are considering sitting one of them, you must be absolutely stacked at receiver. Every other KC receiver can be avoided in all formats.

Kelce is the top projected tight end at 14 points. As I said earlier, you don’t give up on Kelce after one down week. Start him confidently this week. Gray could be a sneaky good play in two-TE formats or deeper leagues, but Wiley should be avoided.

#start-sit-decision #waivers #2024-fantasy-football