Chiefs Player Emerges as Top Fantasy Pickup After Week 1

The Chiefs couldn't get the victory in Week 1, but they did come away with some encouraging fantasy football takeaways against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Sep 29, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid shakes hands with Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh after the game at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It's safe to say that Week 1 didn't go the way that Head Coach Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs planned. Firstly, they couldn't come away with a victory in Brazil, falling to the Los Angeles Chargers, 27-21. Their defense was particularly disappointing, allowing almost 400 total yards, with 32 rushing yards for Justin Herbert, including a crucial third-down conversion to put the game away.

The offense was able to put 21 points on the board, but it was largely behind the individual greatness of quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The ground game was especially underwhelming, with only 41 rushing yards outside of Mahomes' 57 on scrambles.

The worst part, though, was the loss of wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who exited the game early after dislocating his shoulder after running into Travis Kelce on a miscommunication. It doesn't appear that he'll get season-ending surgery, but he could still be out for several weeks rehabilitating. That's encouraging news for Kansas City, but Worthy's absence is a significant opportunity for the other Chiefs wide receivers, such as Marquise "Hollywood" Brown.

Jan 26, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Hollywood Brown (5) against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Marquise Hollywood Brown now a premium waiver wire target

The Kansas City Chiefs got a few impressive fantasy football performances in Week 1. Travis Kelce was solid, with two catches for 47 yards and a touchdown for 12.7 full-PPR points. Patrick Mahomes had a top-five quarterback outing with 26 points, with a large portion coming from his legs.

Marquise "Hollywood" Brown was the most impressive wideout for the Chiefs following Xavier Worthy's departure. He stepped up, catching 10 balls for 99 yards and 19.9 points, ninth among WRs in Week 1. That asserted him as a top waiver wire target in fantasy leagues, especially with Worthy expected to miss a significant chunk of the campaign and Rashee Rice not able to return until Game 7. FantasyPros' Derek Brown believes so:

"With Rashee Rice suspended for the first six games of the season and Xavier Worthy sidelined with a shoulder injury, Marquise Brown looks to be Kansas City’s high-volume receiving option until either Rice or Worthy returns."

Mahomes HEAVES it on 4th and 7 and finds Hollywood Brown!

KCvsLAC on YouTube https://t.co/JVXS9sMZhB pic.twitter.com/CjTzI4tffq

— NFL (@NFL) September 6, 2025

"Obviously, he won’t continue to see that type of insane usage [like in Week 1], as Travis Kelce has to be more involved for this offense to function. But Brown should be competing with Kelce for the team lead in targets until Rice or Worthy return. Brown’s upcoming matchups are tough, but if he’s going to see anywhere close to this amount of volume weekly, he should be able to outkick the bad matchups as a weekly Flex option."

Brown making himself available for Mahomes on a busted play is very encouraging for his fantasy prospects and future with the Chiefs. Tyreek Hill repeatedly put up explosive games by doing just that downfield for Kansas City. If Brown can continue to impress during Rice and Worthy's absences, he might earn himself a featured role in this offense even with those receivers back.

Find us on X (Twitter) @KCChiefsOnSI and @Domminchella to follow along with Marquise "Hollywood" Brown's 2025 fantasy season.

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