Evan Silva’s Matchups: Chiefs at Falcons

Editor’s Note: This Matchup was written by John Daigle, with input from Evan Silva.

Sunday Night Football

Kansas City @ Atlanta

Team Totals: Chiefs 24.5, Falcons 21.5

Patrick Mahomes’ two career contests against Falcons HC Raheem Morris’ past defenses resulted in 6.3 (Week 16, 2020) and 7.6 yards per attempt (Week 12, 2022) with the Chiefs tallying more field goals (5) than passing scores (3). Atlanta’s secondary squeezed both Justin Fields (QB16) and Jalen Hurts (QB2) for less than 185 passing yards and a combined 18.9 fantasy points exclusively through the air, totaling 27/142/1 rushing. … Isiah Pacheco fractured his fibula in the fourth quarter against the Bengals and remains sidelined for the next “6-8 weeks”. With Keaontay Ingram elevated from Kansas City’s practice squad, Kareem Hunt’s 2024 debut will be delayed. He should be preemptively stashed in 12-team formats. Chiefs UDFA Carson Steele (6-foot/228) was quietly brought in for a top-30 visit (h/t Sharp Football’s Rich Hribar) during the pre-draft process and recorded five carries (including one from inside the 5-yard line) before Pacheco was injured, closing the game with two more carries once the latter was ruled out (despite losing a fumble in the first half); Samaje Perine did not have a single touch until Pacheco went down, mixing in for a 3-yard catch and nine routes (24% participation) to Steele’s five (13%). Steele offers the higher touch floor (and multi-goal-line TDs) between the two as an RB3/4. Perine’s receiving role boosts him ahead of Steele in full-PPR leagues. The veteran is the more attractive stacking option with Mahomes in Showdown.