Following another competent-but-uninspired year from Alex Smith, the Kansas City Chiefs went out and got his heir apparent. They traded up 17 spots in the first round of the NFL Draft to select Patrick Mahomes, and now the heat is on Smith, who turned 33 in May.
Fantasy football start/sit advice, Chiefs vs. Patriots TNF: Alex Smith
Alex Smith beat out Patrick Mahomes in preseason, but how long will he hold the job? We break down the fantasy implications.
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To his credit, Smith didn’t do anything to lose the starting job in preseason and will be under center for the Chiefs’ season opener against the New England Patriots. But it’s hard to watch Mahomes’ impressive preseason performances and not imagine him stealing the spot sooner rather than later.
Fantasy impact: Mahomes is the future, but let’s focus on the present with Smith. He’s never been a high scorer in fantasy football, finishing last season as the QB22 in Yahoo! fantasy points. Smith’s ceiling and floor are well-defined by now, and we don’t see much changing in 2017. Perhaps he’ll do a little more this week if the Chiefs fall behind early, but Smith is just a dart throw in two-quarterback leagues. Last year’s Patriots defense allowed the 11th-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks.
Recommendation: Sit
