Fantasy Football Black Friday Game Preview: Patrick Mahomes, Isiah Pacheco, Brock Bowers and More

The Black Friday game is awesome. Thanksgiving is always a great football day, but Friday was often left without anything to do other than nurse a food hangover. (I know you’re saying, “Be with family,” but let’s get real.) The Friday game just adds to an already fantastic week of football.

It also means more work on the fantasy football side of things, and that’s what we’re doing here: identifying who to start and who to sit in this AFC West showdown. It’s also important to take guys out of your lineup if you don’t want to play them so that they don’t lock in before you get a chance to choose your guy on Sunday.

Let’s run through each offensive fantasy position for both the Las Vegas Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs and the fantasy outlook for the players involved. I used stats from NFL.com and our FantasySP defensive fantasy rankings and will reference those numbers often. Everything is correct before the Thursday games.

Las Vegas Raiders

Quarterback – Aidan O'Connell

There will be a trickle-down effect here because the lack of quarterback production is going to pull down the numbers of each Las Vegas pass catcher. O’Connell hasn’t shown much in the 15 games in which he has appeared: 62.4% completion, 6.3 yards per attempt, 14 touchdowns, nine interceptions.

O’Connell is returning from a broken right thumb just in time to take over for Gardner Minshew, who was hurt last week and is out for the rest of the season. It’s unlikely that O’Connell will step in and start firing darts, especially against a tough defense.

Though the Chiefs have given up a higher-than-average number of fantasy points per game to quarterbacks (barely), they have also allowed the 10th-least yards per pass attempt. Superstar defensive tackle Chris Jones is still wreaking havoc up front, and KC has talented players at every level of the D.

O’Connell is a must-sit player, and his skill players will be affected accordingly.

Sit Aidan O’Connell

Running Back – Alexander Mattison, Zamir White, Ameer Abdullah, Sincere McCormick

Mattison and White both missed last week’s game and are listed as questionable. Abdullah has value as a PPR back, and he led the backfield in Week 12. McCormick played the backup role with the starter(s) out.

Abdullah is a guy to consider as a flex in PPR leagues, though that’s a low-level proposition. McCormick won’t have fantasy value unless all three backs ahead of him miss the game. Mattison would theoretically be the guy to consider if he’s healthy, but the matchup is rough here.

The Chiefs have allowed the third-fewest yards per rush attempt and the least fantasy points per game to running backs. No back on the Raiders is a good play this week unless you’re truly desperate.

Sit the Raiders’ running backs

Wide Receiver – Jakobi Meyers, Tre Tucker, DJ Turner

Meyers stepped into the WR1 spot when Davante Adams was out with “injury” before being traded to the Jets. When Adams played for the Raiders in Weeks 1-3, Meyers averaged close to five receptions and 50 yards per game while scoring once.

Meyers has played six games without Adams (missing two with injury): he has averaged 6.5 catches and 71.2 yards in those six contests, gaining an extra catch-and-a-half and 20 yards without his former superstar teammate.

That puts him on the fantasy radar despite the quarterback chaos; the matchup isn’t an easy one, though. Kansas City is in the middle in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers, creating a middling situation at best given their top-10 status in yards per pass allowed.

Tucker and Turner make impacts here and there, but they are low-level fantasy guys who aren’t on the radar most weeks (including this one). While Meyers is in the WR3/4/flex conversation, there’s a very low floor given the circumstances. With no teams on bye, you can probably find a better option.

Consider Jakobi Meyers at your own risk

Tight End – Brock Bowers, Michael Mayer

Bowers is a must-start guy every week. No matter what the rest of the Raiders are doing, Bowers has become one of the best tight ends in fantasy football. O’Connell is going to complete some passes, and his rookie tight end will probably see the most targets.

The matchup is also pristine here, as even though the Chiefs are successful in yards per pass attempt allowed, they have given up the fourth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends. There won’t be many weeks with a sweeter outlook than this one for Bowers.

Mayer is a low-end desperation play because of the matchup. He’s unlikely to do much, but at least things are in his favor to maybe sneak into space and catch a touchdown against a team that hasn’t stopped tight ends.

Start Brock Bowers

Kansas City Chiefs

Quarterback – Patrick Mahomes

Mahomes hasn’t been a fantasy star the last two seasons. He was QB8 last year, a fine mark, but he was drafted as a top-three guy. He still held top-five quarterback status in drafts this season, and he’s currently QB9 after being outside the top 15 most of the season.

The Raiders have allowed the 11th-least yards per pass attempt but the ninth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. Touchdowns have been a problem, as Vegas is tied for the sixth-most touchdown passes allowed.

Maxx Crosby is the X-factor here: Kansas City has struggled with their left tackle position, and Crosby will be attacking that side all game. Mahomes is at risk of being on the run and laboring through another game before winning with a late field goal (as the Chiefs do).

Consider sitting Patrick Mahomes

Running Back – Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt, Samaje Perine

Perine plays on passing downs and is only a PPR option in a deep, deep league. Hunt was the guy while Pacheco was out, but he will likely move into a backup role now that the starter is back in the lineup.

Pacheco was a weekly fantasy starter before getting hurt, and he will probably pick up where he left off if he gets the carries. That’s the only worry, is if the Chiefs ease Pacheco back into things and split work with Hunt.

I’m starting Pacheco with no hesitation, though, and expect him to do big things.

Start Isiah Pacheco

Wide Receiver – DeAndre Hopkins, Xavier Worthy, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Justin Watson, Mecole Hardman

The last three guys listed are never more than WR3/4/flex guys to consider only on the best weeks. None will be a top-50 fantasy receiver often, but you can play one as a lottery ticket with the best quarterback in the world.

The matchup isn’t in their favor this week, and every team is in action, so Smith-Schuster, Watson, and Hardman shouldn’t be on your radar.

Hopkins and Worthy are worth consideration every week as WR3/4/flex guys. The matchups drive value, and the tight ends steal plenty of targets, but Hopkins and Worthy each get their chances every week.

They are both mid-level options this week with a chance to score a touchdown against an inferior team.

Consider DeAndre Hopkins and Xavier Worthy

Tight End – Travis Kelce, Noah Gray

Kelce is a must-start guy. Even in a down year, he’s still fourth in receiving yards among tight ends and second in receptions. Scoring just two touchdowns drags down his fantasy score, but Kelce is likely to be a top tight end the rest of the season.

Gray has been stealing the TDs lately, scoring twice in each of the past two weeks. Gray had four total touchdowns in three-and-a-half seasons before that stretch. It’s likely this was just a blip on the radar, and Gray will go back to being a low-end fantasy player.

The Raiders have allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to tight ends. They have been a passable defense, but tight ends have torn Las Vegas apart (a similar profile to the Chiefs). Gray has a little value as a low-end play, but you can probably find a better option.

Start Travis Kelce