The Kansas City Chiefs have won nine straight AFC West championships. That streak predates Patrick Mahomes taking over as the team’s starting quarterback. There have been times in which it seems like as long as Mahomes is at quarterback, the Chiefs’ run will never end.
The Los Angeles Chargers hope that’s not the case.
Advertisement
The Chargers, as well as the Denver Broncos, look like legitimate contenders to the Chiefs’ crown in the division. That’s a big reason the NFL chose Chiefs vs. Chargers for a big broadcasting spot, as YouTube will stream the game live. YouTube paid the NFL a reported $100 million for rights to the broadcast, according to the New York Times. The NFL thought this AFC West battle was worthy of that nine-figure cost.
The Chargers went 11-6 last season, far behind the Chiefs and their 15-2 record, but still a big statement in Jim Harbaugh’s first season as coach. The next step for the Chargers is showing they can get to the Chiefs’ level in the division.
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs face a huge AFC West game in the opener against the Chargers. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
(David Eulitt via Getty Images)
Who needs it more?
If the Chargers lose, it’s hard to take them seriously as a real contender to knock off Kansas City in the division. This game in Brazil is technically a home game for the Chargers, which means the only other meeting will come at Arrowhead Stadium. Falling one game behind the Chiefs wouldn’t eliminate the Chargers from the AFC West race, but the road would get much tougher. If Los Angeles wants to be a serious threat in the division, it has to win a game like this, even on a neutral field in South America.
Advertisement
Key player: Chargers RB Omarion Hampton
Hampton seems like a perfect fit for Jim Harbaugh. The 22nd overall pick of the NFL Draft is a fantastic running back prospect who was highly productive at North Carolina. Harbaugh at his core wants to run the ball, and now he has an exciting workhorse to build his running game around. Najee Harris’ eye injury from a fireworks incident isn’t expected to keep him out of the opener, but it should open the door for Hampton to have a massive role from Week 1 on. If Hampton can set the tone for the offense against a good Chiefs defense, Los Angeles’ chances of beating the Chiefs will increase.
Betting market watch, by Ben Fawkes
The Chiefs opened as 2.5-point favorites in Brazil, and this line has ticked up to -3 at BetMGM. It’s no surprise that the betting public is backing Patrick Mahomes and Co., as twice as much money has come in at several sportsbooks on Kansas City to cover. Keep an eye on the field conditions in this one, as many players in Packers-Eagles last year had slipping issues, which led to some long touchdowns. The total has risen from 44.5 to 46.5.
Advertisement
Check out more of Ben’s work at the Yahoo Sports betting hub.
Fantasy football storylines, by Scott Pianowski
We get another island game tonight, with the Chiefs and Chargers set to kick off their season in Brazil. The Chargers are the home team in name, but the Chiefs are favored by three. Here are three fantasy angles to watch for.
Can Omarion Hampton hit the ground running? LAC head coach Jim Harbaugh confirmed that rookie Hampton will start over veteran Harris, but no one knows what the split might look like. Obviously Harris had a messy summer, after an eye injury cost him all of training camp and the preseason. Hampton’s fantasy upside has always been higher, but we’d like to see proof of concept quickly.
Advertisement
Is Xavier Worthy ready for an expanded role as a sophomore? It’s not that Worthy had a bad rookie year, checking in as the WR33, mostly on the strength of nine total touchdowns. But the Chiefs didn’t expose Worthy to an expanded route tree, and those 98 targets could grow this year, especially with Rashee Rice starting the season on the suspended list.
How effective will Isiah Pacheco be? Kansas City’s feature back suffered a broken fibula last September and was a compromised player when he returned (3.6 YPC after Thanksgiving, 2.8 YPC in the playoffs). But now he’s had about a full year to heal up, and the Chiefs need him to be their featured guy in the backfield.
Check out more of Scott’s work at the Yahoo Sports fantasy hub.
