Jalen Royals is listed with knee tendinitis and has missed the first two Chiefs games, with a Wednesday limited practice keeping his Week 3 status uncertain against the Giants. If he’s sidelined, Kansas City’s WR corps gets a clearer path to targets.

In that scenario, Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster become the primary options, while Tyquan Thornton and Nikko Remigio could soak up additional routes and snaps. Fantasy managers should monitor practice updates closely and anticipate increased volume for the Chiefs’ top veterans in a challenging Week 3 matchup.

Buffalo at home vs Miami stands out as Week 3’s most reliable fantasy play, with Miami’s offense sputtering and their defense struggle-prone. Green Bay on the road offers a high-ceiling matchup, while Seattle’s pass rush continues to shape the floor for fantasy options. Tampa Bay and Atlanta provide solid, lower-variance routes, and Kansas City sits as a fade due to a mix of narrative risk and injury concerns. Avoid forcing picks too far down the board and weigh weather and matchup specifics for each lineup decision.

Prioritize top-tier offenses and matchups with clear advantages, monitor QB health and weather notes, and consider sneaking in secondary targets in Week 3’s thinner depth charts. The emphasis remains on hot hands, favorable schemes, and avoiding over-concentration on any single narrative. This week’s guidance leans into three clear plays and several safer, mid-range options to balance risk and upside.

Keep an eye on usage shifts, including potential Tyrod Taylor play for the Jets and the Chiefs’ evolving supporting cast. The analysis also flags sneaky plays like Bryce Young and Spencer Rattler in specific matchups and notes that the Chiefs’ offense may not be the must-start it’s been in past weeks.

Week 2 of 2025 delivered a wave of fantasy busts across QB, RB, WR and TE, forcing managers to rethink lineups and smartly pivot for Week 3. Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy faltered in prime time, while a host of running backs—Henry, Hall, Charbonnet, Pacheco, Hunt and more—never found their footing. WRs like A.J. Brown, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Drake London cooled after strong openings, and tight ends such as Mark Andrews and T.J. Hockenson offered limited fantasy returns. Bounce-back potential remains for several, but risk has clearly risen across the board.

Rosters should shift toward safer floors and clearer use-cases in Week 3, with attention to upcoming matchups against softer defenses and potential in-game script shifts. The busts spotlight several buy-low windows, particularly at WR and TE, where targets and red-zone usage could swing dramatically with a favorable game plan. Fantasy managers should weigh the rest-of-season trajectory against Week 2 volatility and adjust accordingly.

Overall, Week 2 underscored the value of depth and matchup-fueled decisions. Staying ahead requires identifying hidden Week 3 opportunities among RBs with clearer roles, WRs in jam-friendly offenses, and TEs who still command a red-zone presence despite rough Sundays.

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs dropped to 0-2 after a 20-17 loss to Philadelphia. He owned the slow start, citing a handful of misreads, a ball batted at the line, and missed deep shots, and pressed that they’ll respond by tightening execution and trusting the process. The offense showed flashes, but timing with JuJu Smith-Schuster, Noah Gray, Tyquan Thornton, and the red-zone target to Travis Kelce weren’t clean enough to convert in big moments.

Mahomes stressed adversity, a willingness to mix in designed runs, and faith in Andy Reid’s aggressive approach on fourth downs. For fantasy managers, the takeaway is to watch the offense for improved rhythm, the evolving target tree, and how KC balances pass game with QB rushing as they prepare to face the Giants.

In short, KC’s offense is close to clicking; a sharper connection with top playmakers and smarter red-zone decisions should unlock the ceiling, especially with Reid’s decision-making and Mahomes’ comfort in big moments. Monitor the Chiefs’ early-season adjustments for fantasy implications.