The 2022 NFL season opened up with a bang last week and we had a front-row view of all the action from sports betting to fantasy football to DFS contests that saw more than a million dollars handed out. If you missed the boat and didn’t get involved, obviously, you have plenty of time. Drop those wagers in, get yourself some prop bet love and get those DFS lineups set.
Thursday Night Football kicks off Week 2 in style as the Kansas City Chiefs play host to the Los Angeles Chargers in a game that has football fans buzzing. We expect fireworks in any of these AFC West match-ups, but there’s something special about the Chiefs and the Chargers squaring off. We expect a lot of scoring in this one, given the 54 game-total, and with that, your DFS Showdown lineups are going to be fun to put together. As always, we like to bring you our top DFS plays and suggestions for who to put into your captain’s seat.
Be sure to check out our full Los Angeles Chargers vs Kansas City Chiefs predictions
MVP/Captain
Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs
All those people who said Mahomes was going to stink because he didn’t have Tyreek Hill anymore are all doing what right now? Exactly. Feeling like complete jerks. Mahomes is Mahomes. He’s incredibly talented and has the ability to extend plays with his legs, giving him ample opportunities to find his receivers downfield. Doesn’t matter if it’s Tyreek or some mid-level ham-n-egger, Mahomes is going to deliver the football and put up fantasy points. It’s a tougher-than-normal match-up, but when people start doubting him, that’s when he is most dangerous.
Justin Herbert, QB, Chargers
How do you not love Herbert and want to get him into your captain’s seat? He was everything you needed him to be last week, throwing for 279 yards with three touchdowns against the Raider and now tangles with the Chiefs. The pass-rush might be a little better here in Kansas City, but the coverage in the secondary is about the same as it was with Las Vegas. In four games against Kansas City, Herbert has averaged 282.5 passing yards per game and has a 10:2 TD:INT. He should enjoy yet another shootout with Mahomes this week.
Don’t miss our Chargers vs Chiefs same game parlay at +750 odds!
Travis Kelce, TE, Chiefs
He remains the top target for Mahomes and if you were even remotely concerned, just look to last week where it took Mahomes a whole five minutes to find his favorite target in the end zone. Eight catches and 121 yards later, the No. 1 tight end was showing you why he is still the No. 1 guy. Kelce has faced the Chargers 15 times in his career and has 77 catches for 878 yards and four touchdowns. While that touchdown count might be a little low, keep in mind that they have all come in the last five meetings and Mahomes was his quarterback for each one of those scores.
Mike Williams, WR, Chargers
The Chiefs don’t have anyone to shadow Big Mike, so while they may float some extra safety coverage his way, you can still expect Williams to deliver the goods this Friday. Forget about Week 1. It doesn’t even matter. New game, new opponent. Williams has two 100-yard efforts and three touchdowns over his last three match-ups against the Chiefs and with no Keenan Allen, his target share is likely to skyrocket this week.
We have our best touchdown scorer bets for Chargers vs Chiefs
Mid-Tier
Austin Ekeler, RB, Chargers
While he may be listed down here, you can certainly consider Ekeler for your captain seat in this match-up. The Chiefs allowed 62 receiving yards to running backs last week and have proven to be vulnerable to the outside rushing and receiving work of running backs when their edge rushers over-commit. While his yardage numbers have been mediocre over the last three meetings, he does have touchdowns in each of them.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Chiefs
While Kelce saw the most targets among all Chiefs pass-catchers last week, JuJu led all receivers with eight and turned them into six catches for 79 yards. We suspected he would be the No. 1 receiver for Mahomes this season and that was proven there as Andy Reid had him lined up all over and Mahomes eyes routinely followed where he was going. The Chargers have a strong secondary, but if J.C. Jackson misses another game here, JuJu could have himself quite a day.
Mecole Hardman, WR, Chiefs
While everyone was flipping out about Skyy Moore, it was me telling you to focus on Hardman. There’s a familiarity between him and Mahomes that cannot be ignored. Sure, he only caught three passes for 16 yards last week, but he was targeted six times and did find his way into the end zone. If you’re stacking any Chiefs into your lineup, Hardman saves you salary and still gets attention from his quarterback.
Don’t forget to tail Prop Holliday’s three best player props for Chargers vs Chiefs
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Chiefs
Let’s not get crazy and think that CEH is going to catch another two touchdown passes this week. We’re much more sensible than that. What we do know is that he is the lead back in this offense and gets the early-down work between the tackles. He’s like a little pinball, bouncing off linemen every which way and cutting through the holes his offensive line creates for him. The Chargers allowed just 64 yards on the ground last week, but they also weren’t really tested as the Raiders fell behind and turned to the pass more. The Chiefs will give it a go this week and see if they can’t find some success on the ground as well.
Joshua Palmer, WR, Chargers
With Keenan Allen sidelined, it will be Palmer who lines up in the slot and takes over for the usually-reliable veteran. Palmer stood out last year as he showed he could line up both in the slot and on the outside. That kind of versatility is much-needed and while Herbert won’t pepper him with the same targets Allen usually sees, he should still see a ton of passes come his way both downfield and underneath.
Gerald Everett, TE, Chargers
I had been championing Everett as a sleeper tight end throughout the summer and when he found his way into the end zone last week, I was quite the proud papa reading all the thank-you’s from everyone. After all, we love Coop, but who’s the OG Tight End Whisperer? His target share is likely o increase with the absence of Allen, so if you’re looking for a cheap alternative in your lineup who has touchdown upside, look no further.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, Chiefs
If we’re looking for target distribution, MVS came in as the fourth-most targeted pass-catcher during Week 1’s throttling of the Cardinals. He responded well catching all four passes for 44 yards, but more is definitely on the horizon. MVS slots in as the deep threat for Mahomes, the guy who can stretch the field and gain separation when he finds himself in one-on-one coverage. When the two start connecting regularly, it’s going to be lights-out, so if you’re looking for that home run threat, this is it.
DeAndre Carter, WR, Chargers
The diminutive speedster will now slot in as the Chargers No. 3 receiver and he’ll be looking to repeat his Week 1 performance when he grabbed three balls for 64 yards and a touchdown. He’s probably close to being a dart-throw, but if he’s getting more snaps in three-receiver sets, he could find his way into another productive game at a very cheap price.
Get our Chargers vs Chiefs best bets from our expert NFL handicapper
Dart Throws
Jaylen Guyton, WR, Chargers
He’s a deep threat who can stretch the field and a guy we’ve seen Herbert air it out to in the past. He probably won’t see more than a small handful of targets, but when he makes a catch, it’s usually for big yards and a touchdown.
Isiah Pacheco, RB, Chiefs
He was used heavily during last week’s blowout, but could still find his way into some of the pass-catching work out of the backfield this week. Yes, Jerick McKinnon still lingers, but if I’m throwing a dart, trying to catch lightning in a bottle for a Showdown lineup, Pacheco is the guy I want to lean on.
For additional NFL DFS Week 1 coverage, check out our full coverage on Fantasy Alarm
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