Monday Showdown Week 5

Disclaimer

These contests are intended to be fun as you’re watching the game. It’s incredibly difficult to get a real edge as there are so few options, and in MME contests, there are often many duplicate lineups. One play or one penalty can change the entire outcome of the game.

Game Strategy

• Over/Under: 42
• Spread: Chiefs -5
• Chiefs Implied Team Total: 23.5
• Saints Implied Team Total: 18.5

Despite the absences of stars Rashee Rice and Isiah Pacheco, the Chiefs are still the clear favorites in this one at home. Lineups should lean Chiefs heavy.

Injury Roundup

• Rashee Rice OUT
• Isiah Pacheco OUT
• Taysom Hill OUT
• Clyde Edwards-Helaire Doubtful
• Mecole Hardman Questionable

Captain Consideration

• Travis Kelce
• Alvin Kamara
• Patrick Mahomes II
• Chris Olave
• Rashid Shaheed

Kansas City Chiefs Showdown Players

Quarterback

Patrick Mahomes II - Captain/Flex

Patrick Mahomes II isn't the most exciting fantasy quarterback at the moment but this is a one-game slate. He's the home quarterback and ranks seventh in pass touchdowns per game (1.5). The Chiefs are five-point favorites.

Running Back/Wide Receiver/Tight End

Travis Kelce - Captain/Flex

The absence of Rashee Rice provides a massive boost to Travis Kelce's fantasy value. We saw that come to fruition last week as Kelce posted by far his best game of the season catching 7 of 9 targets for 89 yards.

Kareem Hunt - Flex

Kareem Hunt saw 17 opportunities and turned them into 85 total yards in his first game action last week. He looked good. He's a strong play at home against a Saints defense that ranks 26th in Rush EPA Allowed.

Xavier Worthy - Flex

It remains to be seen whether Xavier Worthy is ready for an expanded role in the offense but the Chiefs essentially have no choice but to give it to him now that they'll be without Rashee Rice for the foreseeable future. Short and intermediate routes would be massive for his fantasy prospects since his elite speed already offers big-play ability as we saw last week when he brought in a 54-yard touchdown.

Samaje Perine - Flex

Samaje Perine played on just three fewer snaps and ran four more routes than Kareem Hunt last week. The timeshare between Kareem Hunt and Perine is much closer than most realize. It was Perine who scored a rushing touchdown last week. He also offers receiving upside.

Justin Watson - Flex

Justin Watson played on a season-high 69% of the offensive snaps and ran a route on 74% of Patrick Mahomes II's dropbacks last week. Rashee Rice's absence gives the trusted veteran the biggest fantasy boost on the Chiefs outside of Travis Kelce.

Noah Gray - Flex

Noah Gray projects to play more and run more routes with Kansas City likely shifting to more two tight end looks without Rashee Rice. Gray is coming off his best game last week where he caught all four of his targets for 40 yards.

New Orleans Saints Showdown Players

Quarterback

Derek Carr - Flex

Derek Carr ranks seventh in touchdown passes per game (1.5) and leads a Saints offense that ranks sixth in EPA/Play. New offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak, has brought one of the most efficient offenses in the NFL to New Orleans. The Chiefs have a solid defense but Carr has an okay matchup on paper against Chiefs defense that ranks 15th in Dropback EPA Allowed.

Running Back/Wide Receiver/Tight End

Alvin Kamara - Captain/Flex

Alvin Kamara ranks first in the NFL in opportunities per game (25), first in total yards per game (134), and tied for first in total touchdowns (6). Taysom Hill is inactive so he won't be vulturing Kamara at the goal line in this one.

Chris Olave - Captain/Flex

Chris Olave has a 23.8% target share on the year. The great thing in this offense for us projecting fantasy success is the target tree is very narrow. Three players are receiving almost all of the looks in Olave, Alvin Kamara, and Rashid Shaheed. Look for increased volume as Carr is forced to take to the air in order to try to keep up with Patrick Mahomes II.

Rashid Shaheed - Captain/Flex

Rashid Shaheed leads the Saints with a 24.8% target share this season. Look for increased volume as Carr is forced to take to the air in order to try to keep up with Patrick Mahomes II.

Juwan Johnson - Captain/Flex

Juwan Johnson played on a season-high 68% of the offensive snaps last week. Working his way back from an offseason injury, Johnson appears to be more of a full-time player a month into the season and should be involved with Taysom Hill inactive.