By Chris Molina
In the regular season opener of the 2018 season, The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 38-28. That was no fluke. I am here to tell you to jump on that hype train and go full steam ahead this season. The voice of public opinion is whispering in my ear to pump the brakes, but you should not listen to said voice. Let me tell you why:
Patrick Mahomes had 256 yards and 4 touchdowns against the Los Angeles Chargers (37.96 fantasy points). Let me repeat that: THE LOS ANGELES CHARGERS. The Chargers were the third best scoring defense with the third best passing defense in the entire league last year, behind only Minnesota and Jacksonville in both. Mahomes torched them and he did it without doing much on the ground. That means his torrid pace can be sustained after one week. “But Chris. He only had 15 completions and 4 touchdowns. Don’t you think that efficiency will take a hit?”
I know I said that you should not listen to the voice of public opinion, but in this case, the voice is correct. Mahomes cannot keep up his 3.75 completions to touchdowns pace. That would be absurd. However, the regression is okay. Tyreek Hill returned a punt for a touchdown so it was already 7-0 before Mahomes even entered the game. The Chargers also muffed a punt inside their own 10 yard line which led to another quick touchdown. The circumstances allowed for the hyper efficiency. However, he will have more pass attempts and more yards to balance out the prediction of 3 touchdowns this week.
The Steelers gave up 21 points to the Browns, despite horrid play from Tyrod Taylor. That defense can’t play Tyrod Taylor every week though. This Chiefs offense is going to match Big Ben point for point. Mahomes has a ton of weapons. He looks the part of a poised QB and is Andy Reid’s brain child. I am buying into the hype. You should too.
Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill is fast. And he’s really good. Patrick Mahomes is looking his way early and often — a recipe for success in Week 1 — which will drive this offense going forward. (Photo from www.arrowheadpride.com)
Tyreek Hill is an easy one. Start him every week. He is that good. My The Longest Yard fans will say “He’s so fast that he makes fast people look not fast.” That’s an understatement. He singlehandedly made Alex Smith’s deep ball competent last year. Now, it seems like after the preseason and week 1 that he is tailor made for Patrick Mahomes. More passing attempts should give Tyreek Hill plenty of opportunities to open up the game for the other playmakers in this offense moving forward.
Travis Kelce had six targets, but only one catch on Sunday. Now he faces a Pittsburgh team that allowed Cleveland’s possession receiver to see plenty of targets all game long. (Jarvis Landry led the Browns with 15 targets, scoring 17.6 fantasy points.) More passing attempts should lead to Kelce righting the ship this week. Many notable tight ends had less than stellar weeks in Week 1 so do not give up on Kelce. Unless you are going to trade him to me. Ahhhhhh. Come on. I’ll give you “Uncle” Will Dissly. No? Okay. Start Travis Kelce.
Finally, we have the last of what I believe are the Four Horsemen in Kansas City — Kareem Hunt. He did not have a good game last week. Circumstances did not require him to have a lot of carries though, and he also missed both of his goal line opportunities. It is easy to discount his 16 rushes for 49 yards, but imagine 16 for 49 and 2 touchdowns? That is a very different day. This is why you cannot panic. Those touchdown looks will be there for him this season. It just happened that this time around, Andy Reid got better reads from those odd little shovel passes.
Two of these guys scored at least one touchdown in Week 1. The other is Sammy Watkins (#14). You’ll be hearing stats like that all season. (Photo from www.arrowheadpride.com)
One more thing — DO NOT START SAMMY WATKINS. I might be on the hype train for the Chiefs offense, but not for Sammy. They paid him a lot of money so the entire secondary can’t focus on Kelce and Hill. He will have more games like he had on Sunday than games where he is fantasy relevant. Watkins was third in targets last week, but he will be the fourth option in the red-zone every week.
Believe the hype. Start the Chiefs offensive players that you may have on your team. (Just not Watkins.) This weekend, the Steelers are going to put up some points as their offense is good and the Chiefs defense is terrible. How are the Chiefs going to have a chance to win this week? Simple answer: a shootout. In fact, that is how they are going to win most weeks. I think Mahomes will be better than Tom Brady this week. Once again, all aboard the hype train.