New, Unexpected Chiefs Fantasy Sleeper Emerges for 2025 Season

The Kansas City Chiefs have been a frustrating fantasy football team throughout the 2025 NFL season. Despite boasting one of the most lethal and explosive offenses in the league since getting their weapons back, they haven't fielded many reliable options for fantasy players.

Patrick Mahomes has reclaimed his spot as one of the top quarterbacks available. Rashee Rice has been a solid WR1 since returning from his six-game suspension. Outside of those two, though, it's been inconsistency or downright disappointment from the rest of the Chiefs.

The running backs have been an absolute mess of a committee, with Isiah Pacheco severely underperforming expectations and Kareem Hunt regularly vulturing touchdowns from him, but not regularly enough to justify playing week-to-week. Xavier Worthy wasn't able to capitalize on his few games as the top receiver while Rice was out, and hasn't made his mark as a WR2, but his potential makes it impossible to drop him.

Travis Kelce is now a low-floor, high-ceiling play at tight end, heavily dependent on PPR points and red-zone targets. One steady option might emerge from Kansas City for the second half of the season, though.

Kansas City Chiefs, NFL, Las Vegas Raiders, Chris Jones — Oct 19, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Chris Jones (95) celebrates after a sack against the Las Vegas Raiders during the third quarter of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

It's time to pick up the Chiefs' defense

Even amid their discouraging 1-2 start to the 2025 NFL season, the Kansas City Chiefs' defense performed admirably. Through the first 10 weeks of the campaign, they're currently sixth in yards allowed per game and fourth in points. They've been able to keep opposing offenses contained despite ranking just 21st in total sacks (20) and 22nd in takeaways (nine).

Because they haven't been able to get explosive plays on defense, the Chiefs' D/ST comes in at just 15th in average fantasy scoring with 6.7 points per game, despite their overall impressive start to the season. However, this could change soon, as they have a favorable schedule ahead of them, starting with Week 11's matchup with the Denver Broncos. NBC Sports' Eric Samulski tabbed them as a top-10 defense for this upcoming slate of games:

"The Chiefs, meanwhile, have averaged 7 fantasy points per game over the same stretch (last six weeks) and rank 1st in opponents’ scoring rate, 6th in EPA per play allowed, and 11th in conversion rate allowed. The Broncos give up under four fantasy points per game to opposing defenses over the last month, but they will also likely be without J.K. Dobbins, who hurt his foot in Week 10. RJ Harvey is explosive, but is also an untested rookie going up against Chris Jones and one of the best defensive coordinators in football. That’s a tough spot."

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