Analysis

The Chiefs didn't hold a rigorous practice session to kick off Week 16 prep just two days after Sunday's 21-7 win over the Browns, but Mahomes' full listing nonetheless suggests that he's on track to play Saturday against the Texans. Even if Kansas City continues to list Mahomes as a full participant Wednesday and Thursday, fantasy managers planning on using him in Week 16 will still want to keep a close eye on reports pertaining to the quarterback's health leading up to Saturday, as he was diagnosed with a mild right high-ankle sprain following his early exit from Sunday's win in Cleveland. For his part, Mahomes told Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star prior to Tuesday's session that he has responded "better quicker" to his latest injury than the high-ankle sprain he sustained in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs two years ago. His ability to practice in any fashion so soon after spraining the ankle would seem to support that notion.

Analysis

While the fact that Reid hasn't entirely ruled Mahomes out from practicing to kick off Week 16 prep offers encouragement, Kansas City isn't likely to hold anything more than a light walk-through session just two days after Sunday's 21-7 win over the Browns. As such, even if Mahomes is listed as a limited participant, it shouldn't be interpreted as a clear sign that he'll be on track to play Saturday against the Texans. Backup Carson Wentz is expected to get in plenty of reps with the first-team offense to keep himself prepared in the event Mahomes is forced to miss his first game of the season.

Analysis

Mahomes was forced out of Sunday's 21-7 win over the Browns in the fourth quarter, leaving backup Carson Wentz to close out the contest. With the Chiefs facing a short turnaround for a Week 16 matchup against the Texans on Saturday followed by a road matchup against Pittsburgh on Christmas Day in Week 17, Mahomes' availability for the next two contests would seem to be murky, at best. Currently sitting at 13-1, Kansas City has a two-game lead on Buffalo (11-3) for the top seed in the AFC, and the Chiefs have already clinched a playoff spot. The team thus may prefer to take a cautious approach to Mahomes' health in order to prioritize his effectiveness for the postseason, making it appear likely that Wentz starts Saturday versus Houston. For Weeks 17 and 18 (at Denver), though, playoff standing could factor into decisions made on Mahomes' availability.

Analysis

Mahomes left Sunday's game midway through the fourth quarter after taking a hit to his right ankle while throwing an incomplete fourth-down pass. With the defending Super Bowl champions holding a 14-point lead by the time they regained possession with 5:23 left in the quarter, head coach Andy Reid opted to go with Carson Wentz at quarterback for the rest of the game. Reid said after the contest that Mahomes' ankle wasn't broken, but Kansas City fears that the signal-caller may have suffered a high-ankle sprain, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Mahomes is scheduled to undergo further testing Monday, but if a high-ankle sprain is confirmed, he'll likely be viewed as week-to-week and would face an uphill battle to get cleared for the matchup with the Texans. With three games left in the regular season and a two-game lead on the 11-3 Bills for the top seed in the AFC, Kansas City could take a cautious approach with Mahomes to ensure he's in optimal health for the postseason.

Analysis

Mahomes was on the receiving end of a hit in the fourth quarter that resulted in him needing some assistance to get to the sideline. He eventually was deemed questionable to return due to an ankle injury, but backup Carson Wentz handled quarterback duties for the rest of the contest while Mahomes was seen getting his ankle taped on the bench. In addition to Reid's initial comment on Mahomes, the coach told Nate Taylor of The Athletic that the quarterback's status will "literally be day by day," adding that Mahomes "probably could've gone back in" Sunday if needed. When Mahomes injured his ankle in the first half of a Week 9 victory against the Buccaneers, he also missed some snaps but was able to return and finish out the game. Considering the Chiefs were up by 14 points at the time of Mahomes' exit, being cautious with their franchise signal-caller seemingly was the prudent approach, but his status now will need to be monitored in advance of Saturday's matchup with the Texans.

Analysis

Before exiting the contest, Mahomes completed 19 of 38 pass attempts for 159 yards and two TDs, while carrying twice for 14 yards. Carson Wentz has taken over at QB for the Chiefs, with Mahomes' status now worth tracking ahead of this coming Saturday's game against the Texans.

Analysis

Mahomes put the Chiefs up 13-0 with a nine-yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins in the final minute of the first half, but the Chargers scored 14 unanswered points in the third quarter. The two teams then exchanged go-ahead field goals in the fourth quarter before Mahomes converted a pair of third downs with passes of 14 yards to Xavier Worthy and nine yards to Travis Kelce to set up Matthew Wright's game-winning 31-yard field goal on the game's final play. It hasn't always been pretty offensively as Kansas City navigates subpar offensive line play with a depleted receiving corps, but Mahomes has led the Chiefs to a 12-1 record and an AFC West Division title heading into a Week 15 trip to Cleveland.

Analysis

Mahomes battled from start to finish against a strong defensive effort on the road by Las Vegas on Black Friday. The star quarterback eclipsed 300 passing yards for the second time this season without turning the ball over. The single touchdown leaves a bit to be desired by fantasy managers, which could be said for his entire 2024 campaign through 12 games (2,979 yards, 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions). Mahomes will need to continue carrying Kansas City's offense next Sunday in a pivotal AFC West matchup against the Chargers.

Analysis

Mahomes had an exceptional first half, during which he completed 19 of 24 passes for two touchdowns -- both of which went to Noah Gray -- and 207 yards. The Chiefs only ran 28 plays in the second half, which slowed his line a bit. However, Mahomes still delivered when needed by scrambling for a 33-yard gain with only 38 seconds remaining to set up the game-winning field goal. He now has three touchdowns in three of his last four games while reaching 300 total yards on two occasions in that span.