Chiefs vs. Chargers Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Friday Night - Patrick Mahomes, Ladd McConkey, Isiah Pacheco, Xavier Worthy, Omarion Hampton, Keenan Allen

Fantasy football start em, sit em lineups advice for the Chiefs vs. Chargers Friday game in Week 1 (2025). NFL matchups analysis and starts/sits for Week 1.

Fantasy managers will have to make some tough decisions as it pertains to their lineup to begin the season. That's because there are two divisional games to kick off the 2025-2026 NFL season. The Dallas Cowboys will travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles in Thursday's season opener, and the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers will play in Brazil on Friday evening.

In this article, we will dive into the best starts and sits of the week in that Chiefs versus Chargers contest. While you should always start your studs no matter what, there are a few undervalued players that fantasy managers should think about starting in this Week 1 matchup.

So, here are the best starts and sits for Friday's game against the Chiefs and Chargers. 

• 2025 fantasy football rankings
• Running back (RB) fantasy football rankings
• Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
• Tight end (TE) fantasy football rankings
• Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
• Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
• NFL rookie fantasy football rankings
• Best ball fantasy football rankings
• Superflex fantasy football rankings
• Dynasty fantasy football rankings

Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers

Friday September 5th, 8:00 PM ET

Below are some notable injuries for this game. Be sure to also check out our updated NFL injuries report for constant updates:

• Marquise Brown (WR - KC) - Foot/Ankle
• Najee Harris (RB - LAC) - Eye
• Quentin Johnston (WR - LAC) - Concussion
• Rashee Rice (WR - KC) - Suspension - OUT

Matchups We Love

WR Xavier Worthy (KC)

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy really came on toward the end of his rookie season. He scored at least 16 PPR fantasy points in four of his final seven regular-season games and even caught eight passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns in the team's Super Bowl loss to the Eagles.

Xavier Worthy's price has not risen nearly enough to adjust for the Rashee Rice news

Worthy put up 14.6 Half-PPR FPG (~WR9) over his final 10 games last season – which is reminiscent of the Rice breakout in late-2023 pic.twitter.com/GkyL5bQeUq

— Graham Barfield (@GrahamBarfield) August 21, 2025

With Rice suspended for the first six weeks of the year, Worthy should operate as Kansas City's No. 1 option in the passing game. Therefore, he is a strong start in Week 1. He'll come in as a solid WR2 play this week against a Chargers secondary that allowed the 12th-most fantasy points to opposing wideouts in 2024.

TE Travis Kelce (KC)

Travis Kelce definitely took a step back in fantasy last year, as he finished as the TE5 in PPR formats. That TE5 finish was his worst fantasy finish since he finished as the overall TE9 in his second professional season in 2015. However, Kelce will start the 2025 campaign as a strong TE1 option in all formats.

Rice is suspended for the first six weeks of the season, which means the veteran playmaker should be in store for plenty of targets in the middle of the field. In his two games against the Chargers last year, Kelce totaled 15.9 PPR fantasy points (Week 4) and 9.5 PPR fantasy points (Week 14). Both performances were top-12 fantasy finishes at the position.

Matchups We Hate

QB Justin Herbert (LAC)

Justin Herbert will have a difficult matchup in Week 1 against the Chiefs. Herbert was held to under 14 fantasy points in both of his matchups versus this secondary last season, and the Chargers scored just 27 combined points against Kansas City in those two games. So, the Chargers' signal caller is more of a QB2 play this week.

RB Najee Harris (LAC)

There's a strong possibility that Harris will suit up for this contest, despite missing all of training camp due to an eye injury. He did not land on the reserve/non-football injury list and will begin the season on the active roster. However, Harris should be avoided in most cases in Week 1 against a very good Chiefs run defense.

Kansas City allowed the fewest fantasy points per game to opposing running backs in 2024. That surely does not bode well for Harris' fantasy value to kick off the season.

RB Isiah Pacheco (KC)]

Isiah Pacheco was a disappointing fantasy option last season after fracturing his fibula early during the 2024 season. When he returned from that injury in Week 13, he was a non-startable fantasy option to end the year. He scored under nine PPR fantasy points in each of the last five weeks of the season. 

FIRST HOME TD OF THE SEASON‼️ pic.twitter.com/t52pOraOkO

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) August 23, 2025

Although Pacheco appears to be fully healthy heading into 2025, he will be a riskier RB2 play this week. The Chargers allowed the eighth-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs last season, and the former Rutgers star only ran 14 times for 55 yards against this Los Angeles front seven in 2024.

Other Fantasy Football Matchups

QB Patrick Mahomes (KC)

Patrick Mahomes will come in as a middle-of-the-pack QB1 option against the Chargers in Week 1. Even though Mahomes scored under 15 fantasy points in both meetings against this secondary last year, he should be in for a solid fantasy game on Friday. Kansas City is 10-2 in season openers with Andy Reid as head coach, and Reid has had months to prepare for this defense. That's enough to trust Mahomes in fantasy.

RB Omarion Hampton (LAC)

On paper, this is not a great matchup for Omarion Hampton. The Chiefs gave up the fewest fantasy points per game to opposing running backs last season, and Kansas City allowed just 4.1 yards per carry on the ground. However, you didn't select Hampton early in fantasy drafts to sit him on your bench. You're starting him in this matchup, especially with Harris likely to be limited.

WR Marquise Brown (KC)

All signs point to Brown playing in Week 1 after he returned to practice. With Rice out for the first six weeks, this is a nice opportunity for the former first-round pick to emerge as a consistent weapon in this Kansas City offense. Given that the Chargers allowed the 12th-most fantasy points to wideouts last season, the Chiefs playmaker could be a sneaky flex play in 14-plus team leagues.

WR Ladd McConkey (LAC)

Ladd McConkey could find himself matched up against All-Pro corner Trent McDuffie in this game. McDuffie is not the best matchup for the 23-year-old, considering he ranked third among all cornerbacks in PFF grade (83.1) last season. Still, you are starting McConkey in all formats. You drafted him in the second or third round for a reason.

BUY OR SELL - Ladd McConkey will finish as a Top 10 WR this season. pic.twitter.com/KKM0etDcpf

— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) August 22, 2025

WR Keenan Allen (LAC)

Keenan Allen returns to Los Angeles following one season with the Chicago Bears. The veteran signed a one-year, $8.52 million deal in early August, and he should have a sizable role in this Los Angeles offense in 2025. However, Allen will be a low-end flex play in Week 1 against the Chiefs. This Chiefs secondary is legit.

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