Chiefs Fantasy Football Takeaways in Week 1 Loss to Chargers

At some point, the empire has to crumble. There have been rumblings almost every year since Mahomes and the Chiefs won their first title in 2019 that their run was over. Those annual whispers grew a lot louder coming into the 2025 season, though, with many anointing it as Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens' time instead, or Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills'.

After two straight years of coasting on offense and allowing their defense to lead the way, Mahomes and the Chiefs won't likely be able to do that again this season. That sentiment was only affirmed against the Los Angeles Chargers. Ultimately, Kansas City fell to LA, 21-27, as the defense failed to get a stop, allowing the Chargers to run out the clock and end any hope of another patented comeback from Mahomes and Company.

Chiefs get mixed fantasy results in Week 1

1. Patrick Mahomes

Things looked worrisome for fantasy owners banking on Patrick Mahomes having a resurgent season in 2025 in the first half against the Los Angeles Chargers. At intermission, he had under 100 passing yards and led his offense to just six total points with two field goals.

That changed at halftime, with Kansas City taking an extra-long break to talk things over in the locker room. He wound up finishing with 24 of 39 passing for 258 yards and a touchdown, adding 57 yards on the ground on six carries and another score.

Most importantly, he took several deep shots downfield. He would have liked to connect on more, but the aggression and arm talent were all there. The Chiefs' defense proved what fantasy analysts were saying all offseason: Kansas City will need to be more explosive on offense to win games. It seems that Mahomes is up to the task.

2. Travis Kelce

Word on the street in the offseason was that Travis Kelce was back, appearing slimmer and quicker in training camp. His numbers may not have shown that against the Chargers, but he did look notably more aggressive, both during play and between snaps.

Kelce's big personality was back on display against LA. The broadcast caught him barking at teammate Jawaan Taylor after a busted play. He was also able to bait Chargers defensive tackle Teair Tart into slapping his helmet, drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

Ultimately, he finished with just two catches for 47 yards, but did score a touchdown. He knocked Xavier Worthy out on a miscommunication, ruling him out for the remainder of the contest with an injured shoulder. Worthy's return could draw more targets away from Kelce, but overall, this was an encouraging performance from the tight end despite the pedestrian numbers.

3. Isiah Pacheco

Like Kelce, Isiah Pacheco also drew a lot of attention in training camp and preseason, appearing much stronger and quicker than he looked after coming back from a fractured fibula last year. Unfortunately, this was not his game.

He ended his night with just five carries, the same as Kareem Hunt, finishing with just 25 yards on the ground. He did catch two balls, but only for three yards.

The Chiefs have never been known for their ground game, and they spent the entirety of the night playing from behind. Pacheco could still have a great fantasy season, but his production could be heavily reliant on matchups and whether Kansas City can build an early lead or not.

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