2025 Draft Guide: Kansas City Chiefs

Coaching History: Last Three Years

Head Coach: Andy Reid (KC ’22-24)
Offensive Coordinator: Matt Nagy (KC ’22-24)
2024 Record: 15-2

Team Summary

The Baltimore Ravens have a scheme fit to their best players – a mobile QB, strong RBs, and several talented TEs (not to mention the strong OL).  The Ravens run most of their plays with either multiple RBs or TEs on the field (12, 21, 22).  This allows them to remain committed to the run, but find deep passes to punish their opponents when the box is stacked.

If you’re looking for a fantasy difference maker, the Ravens are one of the few teams that truly boast strong options at all positions.  Lamar Jackson is one of the top QB options with the dual threat ability to rack up points on the ground or through the air.  Derrick Henry, despite his age, is still one of the most feared RBs in the league, especially when he is able to build up momentum.  Teams would love to have either Mark Andrews or Isaiah Likely in their TE room, and Zay Flowers is one of the top slot WRs as well.  Given the strong history of offensive prowess over the last few years, Baltimore is a team that should be targeted heavily in fantasy drafts.

While Lamar Jackson has been known specifically for his legs, 2024 saw a huge leap in passing efficiency.  This created the perfect storm for fantasy scoring, and with the offense essentially intact from the previous year, there is a strong likelihood that this will continue.  Despite the Ravens being one of the most run heavy teams, don’t shy away from their passing game, as there will be plenty of scoring to go around.  Expect OC Todd Monken to continue to develop Jackson’s passing as opponents continue to try anything and everything to slow down the ground game.

2024 Ranks (2023 Rank)

• Points: 15th (15th)
• Yards: 16th (9th)
• Passing Attempts: 6th (2nd)
• Passing Yards: 14th (6th)
• Passing TDs: 11th (8th)
• Rushing Attempts: 16th (25th)
• Rushing Yards: 22nd (19th)
• Rushing TDs: 15th (26th)

2024 Positional Market Share

If Isiah Pacheco is healthy, expect him to lead this backfield. Kareem Hunt stepped in and held a workhorse role while Pacheco was out. While the Chiefs drafted Brashard Smith, he hasn’t made a lot of noise in preseason and likely would only factor into the passing game.

Travis Kelce led the team in targets (again), but that is misleading as Rashee Rice was the clear top target during the first four games when he was healthy. Expect to see Rice (when available), Worthy, and Kelce all grouped at the top of the target list.

Depth Chart:

• QB: Patrick Mahomes, Gardner Minshew
• RB: Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt, Elijah Mitchell
• WR: Rashee Rice (Z/Slot), Xavier Worthy (Z), Hollywood Brown (X), Juju Smith-Schuster, Jalen Royals
• TE: Travis Kelce, Noah Gray
  • Bold – Fantasy relevant
  • Highlighted – Priority target

Player Breakdowns

For all of the jokes about Mahomes being crowned the “checkdown king” in recent years, all indications are that he will have a huge year as the Chiefs focus on throwing the ball down the field. With Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown set to stretch the field on the outside, Mahomes will have plenty of opportunities to take the deep shots he was known for in past years. As defenses adjust to take that away, expect to watch him hit Rice and Kelce on shorter routes through the middle of the field. The Chiefs offense is becoming a juggernaut again.

Pacheco should resume his rushing style: waking up in the morning and choosing violence. While not the most talented RB in the league, his mentality is contagious to the team, and he has become a core piece for the offense when available. However, we did see Kareem Hunt step in and keep the offense flowing in Pacheco’s absence. It may not be that Pacheco is a special player, but while he holds the role, he should outperform his ADP of RB24.

Rice can give you a major case of whiplash (and not just from car accidents). While he suffered a serious knee injury, ending his 2024 season early, reports are that he is healthy again and back to his old explosive self. Beyond injury, fantasy managers have been wondering about his pending legal matter and waiting to see what would come of it. Unexpectedly, it was announced that he would receive only a sentence of 5-years’ probation and 30 days in jail (to be served at any point within the 5 years). This sent his fantasy stock soaring, as managers jumped for joy at the possibility that he would avoid suspension. That is, until the news leaked that the NFL wanted to impose a 10-game suspension regardless of the legal resolution. Hearing the potential length, his stock dropped again, and now we will await the results of an NFL hearing on September 30th. All signs point to Rice being available for the first four weeks of the season but being suspended for some period (likely in the 6-game range) later in the season. No one truly knows what the NFL will do, as they have been wildly inconsistent on disciplinary matters in the past. The situation can’t help but remind folks of the Dirty Harry quote, “You’ve got to ask yourself one question; ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya, punk?”

Worthy blossomed later in his rookie year, taking on a more prominent role through Kansas City’s playoff run. With his athletic talents, it is hard to believe that his role will do anything but grow. However, when Rice is on the field, Worthy will drop down the target hierarchy. Worthy’s value for 2025 will hinge directly on how much (and when) Rice is available. If Worthy is the top WR available, he consistently scores as a borderline WR1.

Hollywood appears to be going for a reboot. 2024 didn’t work out how it was supposed to, but the veteran deep threat is back and healthy for 2025. He provides another reliable weapon for Mahomes to target, and while he likely won’t be near the team-lead for targets, he will be a crucial part of the offense. He should be an inconsistent WR3 and/or flex option, with week-to-week upside that is better suited for Best Ball Leagues.

Is this Kelce’s last hurrah? The media has been wondering, especially since his brother Jason retired this offseason. Travis, however, returns for another year with Patrick Mahomes, and the duo will look to prove their connection is stronger than ever (perhaps to the chagrin of a certain global pop-star phenomenon). Kelce finished the year as a solid TE1 in 2024, and there is no reason to think that will change in 2025. He started slowly, as Rice emerged as a top weapon. However, when Rice was not available, Kelce picked up his production. We may see a similar trend in 2025 but knowing that Rice is set to miss some time, Kelce should once again be towards the top of TE rankings.

More Draft Guides