KC Chiefs vs. Browns fantasy preview: Baker Mayfield is a good play and more
By Kole Berrey
Start of the Week: Baker Mayfield
The Chiefs finished last season in the middle of the pack in fantasy points allowed to the quarterback position, giving up an average of 19.5 points per game. This was good for 15th in the league. From a pure numbers standpoint, there isn’t anything to fear starting your quarterbacks against the Chiefs.
This isn’t to say Kansas City’s real life, on-the-field defense is going to struggle against the pass. Fantasy football is pure numbers, and sometimes, playing against the Chiefs means coming into the game with a different mindset. The Browns have the sort of offense that can keep pace with Kansas City, but not if they are running the ball. They will have to go blow for blow to win this game, which means volume for Baker Mayfield. Combine that with the return of Odell Beckham Jr. and Kareem Hunt’s pass catching chops out of the backfield, and Mayfield is primed to put up numbers this Sunday.
Another reason Mayfield may be a great start is the status of star Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu. As of Thursday night, he has yet to be cleared to play. Even if Tyrann does suit up, not practicing for a week and coming off of an illness means that he may not be 100 percent roaming the back end of the Chiefs defense.
All of this is starting to come together to point towards a good day for Baker Mayfield. I expect the volume for Mayfield to be high enough to make a big impact. With the rest of the talent on offense ready to roll, he can convert that into a great fantasy day.
Final Stat Prediction: 34/49, 378 passing yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT, 21 rushing yards.
Total Fantasy Points: 29.22