Chiefs HC Andy Reid confirmed on Tuesday what's been obvious for a while now: QB Patrick Mahomes will start the opener vs. the Broncos. Mahomes has had a smooth recovery from his December ACL and LCL tears, getting full clearance for training camp and avoiding any setbacks. Mahomes didn't play this preseason, though, and is expected to wear extra protection on that left knee at least at the beginning of the season.
2026 Fantasy Football Impact
We've been expecting Mahomes to play Week 1 for a while now, so no changes to the QB rankings.
He's coming off a QB4 finish in fantasy points per game, but that was largely fueled by career-highs in rushing yards per game (30.1) and rushing TDs (5).
We're not expecting him to run nearly as much this year, leaving him as a low-end QB1.
Mahomes opens in a tough spot against a stout Broncos defense. He's averaged just 6.6 yards per attempt with 3 TDs and 4 INTs in his last four games vs. Denver and sits low in our Week 1 QB rankings.
