NFL Player News

The fifth-round pick began his career in 2022 with six catches for 66 yards on nine targets in Week 1. He went down with a hamstring shortly after his debut and missed most of his rookie. He garnered some hype based on the brief flash, but an MCL injury sidelined him until Week 5 of the 2023 season. He popped up with a pair of 60-yard games in Week 9 and 10 but was a healthy scratch only a few games later. Having fallen out of favor with his coaching staff, Philips will be fighting for a roster spot in the summer.

Carr left in the fourth quarter of Monday night’s game against the Chiefs with the oblique injury and did not return. He told reporters after the game that he sustained the injury not on a hit from a KC defender, but on his throw downfield on fourth down. Carr said he would make every effort to get right before the Saints’ Week 6 game against the Bucs. “You know me, I’m going to do anything I can to be there,” he said. Jake Haener, a rookie who had 17 yards on 2-of-7 passing Monday night against the Chiefs, would get the start if Carr is sidelined next week.

The Chiefs continue to look for ways to get their speedy youngster involved on offense and it is clear they are starting to open up the playbook for him. Mahomes attempted three deep passes to Worthy, two falling incomplete and one drawing a defensive pass interference penalty in the second half. Worthy scored from three yards out on a direct snap to tight end Travis Kelce, who operated a read option and handed the ball off to the rookie for the touchdown. Worthy could further expand his involvement after the Chiefs come out of their Week 6 bye.

Kelce led the team in targets and narrowly scored a touchdown on an inside shuttle pass from four yards out in the third quarter. He was tackled at the one and Patrick Mahomes was picked off on the following play. Only Kelce and JuJu Smith-Schuster saw more than six targets, making it likely this offense continues to operate over the short-to-intermediate areas of the field in the absence of Isiah Pacheco and Rashee Rice. Kelce and the Chiefs get a breather in Week 6 before traveling to San Francisco to face the 49ers in Week 7.

Smith-Schuster appeared to soak up most of the routes previously run by alpha wide receiver Rashee Rice, paving the way for a potential waiver wire darling as the Chiefs head to their bye week. His eight targets trailed only tight end Travis Kelce’s 10, with only Xavier Worthy’s six looks anywhere near the duo up top. There definitely could be something here considering the state of the Kansas City roster and their recent propensity to work the short areas of the field.

Hunt rejoined the Chiefs after Isiah Pacheco’s injury, getting his first start against the Saints after playing most of the final three quarters in Week 4 following a Carson Steele fumble. He turned back the clock in this one, going for 117 combined yards and scoring in the first quarter. Hunt has now tallied 41 carries the last two weeks and appears to be primed for a sizable workload for as long as Pacheco remains out. The Chiefs head to their bye week in Week 6 before traveling to San Francisco to face the 49ers in Week 7.

Mahomes failed to throw a touchdown for the first time this season as both scores by the Chiefs came on the ground, one from fill-in running back Kareem Hunt and one on a handoff to Xavier Worthy from tight end Travis Kelce on an option play from four yards out. Even so, the 331 yards through the air marked a season-high, buoyed by a breakout performance from JuJu Smith-Schuster and his 130 yards through the air. The Chiefs limp into their bye week a perfect 5-0 but without starting running back Isiah Pacheco and alpha wide receiver Rashee Rice.

Williams continues to give way to Alvin Kamara at an increased rate under new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, with the latter pacing to lead the league in running back opportunities this season. What little fantasy value remained with Williams in New Orleans has quickly faded this season.

Fellow tight end Juwan Johnson caught all five of his targets for 31 yards but it was the blocking tight end that caught the lone touchdown for the position group, reeling in a six-yard touchdown grab at the start of the fourth quarter. Neither tight end brings significant fantasy value considering a relatively even split in snaps.

Olave was victimized by the highest press coverage rate in the league in this one, struggling to get off the line throughout the evening. Teammate Rashid Shaheed out-targeted the veteran alpha nine to four, with another eight targets finding their way to running back Alvin Kamara. Furthering the fantasy woes was the departure of Derek Carr in the fourth quarter with an oblique injury, which could affect his ability to suit up against the Buccaneers on a short week.

Derek Carr failed to connect with Shaheed on multiple downfield passes in the first quarter before 43-yard hookup for a score in the second quarter. Carr appeared to mouth “I told you” to the sidelines, indicating he potentially lobbied to keep the foot on the gas with Shaheed and the deep ball, evidently seeing something on the field worth exploiting. Shaheed’s fantasy managers will want to keep tabs on the status of Carr ahead of the team’s Week 6 meeting with the Buccaneers after the veteran quarterback departed in the fourth quarter with an oblique injury.