Evan Silva’s Matchups: Chiefs at Jaguars

Kansas City @ Jacksonville

Team Totals: Chiefs 27, Jaguars 24

Patrick Mahomes cooked DC Mike Caldwell’s Jags defense in their two 2022 dates (including playoffs) for a combined 48 of 65 passing (74%), 526 yards (8.1 YPA), a 6:1 TD-to-INT ratio, and 47 yards rushing. Mahomes wasn’t sacked once. With Travis Kelce (knee) due back for this potential shootout, expect a big-time rebound from the two-time NFL MVP. In Week 1’s loss to Detroit, Mahomes likely would have banked 300-plus yards and a third touchdown if not for eight drops. … The Chiefs trotted out a fantasy-backbreaking three-way RBBC versus the Lions. Isiah Pacheco remained K.C.’s primary early-down back, yet Jerick McKinnon played on six of seven third downs and in both goal-line situations. Clyde Edwards-Helaire started and annoyingly siphoned 22% of Kansas City’s offensive snaps. Until the Chiefs narrow down this committee to a two-man ordeal — I think they eventually will — we can’t start any of the backs.

Kelce sounded close to playing in last Thursday’s opener and figures to go here. He trucked Caldwell’s unit for 6/81/1 and 14/98/2 stat lines in last year’s Chiefs-Jaguars games. … Kansas City gave Week 1 playing time to a whopping seven wideouts. Kadarius Toney paced the position group in targets with five but dropped four. Skyy Moore led the corps in snaps (69%) but wasn’t targeted until the third quarter and finished catchless. Marquez Valdes-Scantling continued to fail to earn targets, drawing just two on a 63% playing-time clip. Including playoffs, MVS has cleared 75 yards in just three of 21 games as a Chief.