Getty Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes re-injured a previous ankle injury against the Colts. Will it hamper his fantasy production week 6 against the Texans? (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
The Kansas City Chiefs are 4-1, and they are coming off a lackluster game against the Indianapolis Colts, in which they not only lost at home but scored the fewest points they had scored in a game since Mahomes took over at quarterback.
His ankle has been bothering him since early September, and it was re-aggravated Sunday night when his offensive lineman Andrew Wylie stepped on it.
Here’s what happened to Patrick Mahomes’ ankle on that last drive:
Neither Mahomes nor Chiefs coach Andy Reid seem too concerned about the injury. Reid said of Mahomes, per ESPN: “He tweaked it just a little bit. I think he’s going to be OK. He was pretty good at the end there. We’ll see how that goes.”
Mahomes finished the game against the Colts with 321 yards passing, one touchdown and no interceptions, for a total of 18.54 fantasy points.
Patrick Mahomes Fantasy Outlook Week 6: Texans at Kansas City
GettyChiefs QB Patrick Mahomes.
It has been suggested that Mahomes has been a step off his game so far this season. Week 4, against the Lions, Mahomes had a season-low 18 fantasy points and did not throw a single TD. Some may be wondering if he’s going to bounce back week 6 against Houston, or if his streak of sub-20-point games will continue.
Look for Mahomes to score a ton week 6. This is not the same Houston Texans defense of yore. Houston has given up over 270 yards passing per game this season, and Mahomes, even in a weakened state, should be able to feast.
Keep an eye on how he moves during this game, however. If he seems to regress in any way, or, worse yet, if he tweaks it yet again, his outlook could change.
Beyond Week 6: Will Mahomes Miss Time With His Ankle?
GettyKANSAS CITY, MO – OCTOBER 06: Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs grimaces as he holds his left leg after being hit in the third quarter by the Indianapolis Colts at Arrowhead Stadium on October 6, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. Mahomes is not expected to miss any time. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
Mahomes is averaging 24.7 fantasy points per game, down slightly from his 26.1 average last season. He remains elite on all levels, including in the fantasy realm.
Still, if he’s your QB1, this situation bears watching. Injuries like the one Mahomes currently is battling are generally minor, yet they tend to linger. According to Dr. David Chao, Mahomes has “the mildest variety of high ankle sprain. He was in pain and was limited, but he could at least put weight on his ankle…Mahomes’ injury is likely to affect him through the rest of October, but he can continue to play.”
He could be more limited than normal, but he’s still able to play, and he’s not expected to miss any time. The Chiefs don’t have their bye week until week 12, so he’ll need his offensive line to play much better than they did Sunday night against the Colts.
Final Verdict: Even a limited Mahomes is still a better fantasy bet than just about every other starting quarterback. Absolutely start him. He will likely have a major bounce-back game after his team put up only 13 points last Sunday. He should have another 300-yard game with 3-4 touchdowns.
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