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The Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers don’t have anything on the line in terms of the NFL playoffs as they head into their final game of the regular season. Kansas City clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, giving the Chiefs a first-round bye. Meanwhile, the Chargers were eliminated from playoff contention in early December.
Kansas City heads into this one with a 14-1 overall record, at least two wins more than any other team in the conference, and the Chargers are 6-9 for third place in the AFC West. In the previous matchup between these two teams, the Chiefs beat the Chargers in Los Angeles 23-20 in overtime.
A big factor in a game like this is which players will be held out, especially for the Chiefs coming in as Super Bowl favorites. Andy Reid already said early this week that some key starters won’t be playing in this game. At this point, it would be a surprise to see potential NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes suit up in a game that is meaningless for the postseason run.
TV Info
Date: Sunday, Jan. 3
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Channel: CBS
Broadcast map
Notable Statistical rankings (Football Outsiders)
Chargers: #27 Overall — #17 offense, #22 defense, #32 special teams
Chiefs: #4 Overall — #2 offense, #19 defense, #17 special teams
DraftKings Sportsbook odds
Chargers: -3.5, -190
Chiefs: 3.5, +160
Total: 44
Fantasy football start/sit advice
Chargers
Justin Herbert, QB, $7,100
Just because the Chiefs may rest some of their top playmakers in a meaningless game doesn’t mean the Chargers will. Justin Herbert needs all the reps he can get in his rookie season and depending how many players Kansas City will hold out on the defensive side of the ball, he could have some really good value.
Mike Williams, WR, $5,000
If you’re looking for a player you can get for cheap that has a chance for a ton of value, Mike Williams could be your guy. Operating as the go-to receiver on Sunday, Williams led the team with four catches for 54 yards, but it could’ve been a lot bigger than that as he saw 10 targets go his way including multiple red zone targets that were close to being touchdowns. This depends on the health of Keenan Allen, who didn’t play in the last game with a hamstring injury. If he’s out, expect Williams to get plenty of looks in this offense.
Chiefs
Chad Henne, QB, $5,100
Check the updates throughout the week, but I would imagine Chad Henne will get the start at quarterback for the Chiefs this weekend. If you’re willing to spend DFS money at other positions and roll the dice at QB, Henne could be an option against a potentially unmotivated Chargers defense. Keep in mind we have no idea at this point what the wide receiver situation will look like, and Henne hasn’t started a game since 2014.
Chiefs D/ST $3,100
The Kansas City defense and special teams comes in as the 10th most expensive option, but you’ll want to stay away from this unit in Week 17. We don’t know who will suit up on the defensive side of the ball for the Chiefs, and the Chargers are likely still going to be playing hard with Herbert looking to close out his probable Rookie of the Year season on a high note.