Countdown to 2021 fantasy football drafts: Patrick Mahomes II No. 21

Is there anything Patrick Mahomes cannot do? The reigning league MVP is looking to get back to the Super Bowl for a third straight season and will once again be surrounded by some of the best skill players in football. The Chiefs were humiliated in last season’s finale at the hands of the Buccaneers; will they wash out that bitter taste with a title in 2021-22?

To commemorate the 2021 NFL season, we’ll be counting down the 75 best fantasy football players in the league. Picking a Top 75 is subjective, especially when you are projecting a whole season of accumulated fantasy points, but that’s part of the fun. We’ll assume what I see as an average league, which is 12 teams, .5 PPR scoring and a roster of 1QB, 2RB, 3WR, 1TE, & 1RB/WR/TE. Kickers and defenses need not apply.

Change is the nature of the NFL beast, so trades and injuries will likely impact this list as we go along, but hey, this isn’t rocket science. We’re here to have a little fun and build up some much needed anticipation for a league cast in the shadow by baseball, soccer, hockey, etc. Sarcasm aside, the NFL is addictive and we’re here to give your daily fix as we close in on the season.

The official fantasy football drafting tiers can be found here.

No. 21, Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs, QB

Mahomes is arguably the best quarterback in the league and the reigning MVP. He’s looking to take the Kansas City Chiefs to a third straight Super Bowl. After a disappointing performance in a 31-9 loss to Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers in last year’s Super Bowl, you can bet Mahomes will be determined to get back to the top of the NFL mountain this year.

Competition for touches

Unless there’s an injury, expect Mahomes to be throwing the ball a lot. Head coach Andy Reid does occasionally get tricky and let Tyreek Hill sling a few passes, but those instances are limited. Mahomes is going to put up big numbers again as long as he stays on the field.

Team offensive expectations

The Chiefs have been one of the top offenses in the league since Mahomes took over as the starting quarterback and that’s not expected to change this year. The team is loaded across the board and will likely be looking to prove something after failing to score a touchdown in the Super Bowl. This could be the best offense in NFL history when accounting for the 17th game.

What’s his upside?

Mahomes has MVP upside and has the added motivation of wanting to show Super Bowl 55 was a massive fluke. He could have a record-breaking season if everything goes to plan.

What’s his downside?

The loss to the Bucs showed teams what they needed to do to slow down the Chiefs. Unfortunately, most rosters don’t have that type of personnel. There’s always some correction when it comes to dominant offenses, but don’t expect too many roadblocks for Kansas City.

Projection

4,850 yards, 46 touchdowns, 7 interceptions