What could have been an incredible matchup may be a blowout. The Chiefs are rolling, Jayden Daniels is hurt, and Washington’s defense has not been able to carry them. It’s no guarantee that the Chiefs win, though, and there are still fantasy implications for both teams. Rashee Rice’s return affects the Chiefs’ pass-catchers, and the Jayden Daniels injury impacts the entire Commanders offense. Monday Night Football is make-or-break for many fantasy teams, but who should you start and sit?
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MNF: Kansas City Chiefs at Washington Commanders
Clear Starts: Patrick Mahomes, Rashee Rice
Fantasy Football Players to Watch:
Xavier Worthy – WR, Kansas City Chiefs
Following a great end to his rookie season, Worthy has barely been a startable WR in 2025. Injuries hit early, but even after he returned to the field, he wasn’t able to do much. Rashee Rice’s suspension made Worthy the de facto WR1, and he drew 8+ targets in two games. He then followed that up with 4 targets and less than 40 yards in his next two games. Last week was a blowout win against the Raiders, so the Chiefs did not need to depend on him. However, Rashee Rice was targeted 10 times despite playing just 33 snaps.
Worthy could still offer value as the team’s WR2, but the ceiling may be capped. Even in his best games last year, Worthy barely finished as a low-end WR1. He would need increased usage and more scoring opportunities to change that. Rashee Rice was targeted 4 times in the red zone in his return last week, already tying Worthy’s 2025 red zone numbers. He also scored twice and should continue to get looks in that area.
The Commanders allow the 10th most fantasy points to WRs. Rice’s return may eventually be good for keeping top defenders away from Worthy, but that’s no guarantee. If the Commanders make this fairly competitive,
Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel – WR, Washington Commanders
For the first time since Week 3, Terry McLaurin will play for the Washington Commanders. Monday Night Football will be an interesting challenge for him. Jayden Daniels is out of Monday Night Football, opening the door for another Marcus Mariota start.
Both Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel will have difficult matchups. The Chiefs allow the 6th fewest fantasy points to WRs. KC’s pass defense ranks 9th in DVOA and 7th in EPA/play. Jaylen Watson and Trent McDuffie each allow passer ratings of under 70 when targeted, per Pro Football Reference.
Volume has been limited regardless of who starts at QB. The projected game script should lead to more passing, but Washington passes at one of the lowest rates in the league. The game script can only do so much. Deebo Samuel may find things slightly easier in the slot, where the Chiefs are not quite as tough. He has also boomed more often than anyone in the offense, and he’s worth the risk. Deebo gets some limited rushing work, too, and can gain fantasy points in more creative ways. You may not have a better option than Terry McLaurin, but he’s looking like a sit.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt – RB, Washington Commanders
JCM continues to see a strong rushing workload. For the third straight week, he has run the ball at least 13 times. That has not translated into prolonged fantasy success. The Washington offense has struggled to score consistently on the ground. Croskey-Merritt has been the most successful, scoring 4 times on 8 red zone rush attempts. However, his low yardage and lack of receiving work have severely hindered his fantasy value.
Another week without Jayden Daniels will not help that, despite the fact that the team will have its top two receivers back. The Chiefs will be difficult to keep at bay, and Marcus Mariota may be forced to throw to keep pace. Croskey-Merritt only gained over 50 rushing yards on three separate occasions. Those have been when the team either blew out an opponent, or when a game was close against a bad rushing defense.
The Chiefs defense ranks about average against the run, and you could be left with few options after piling injuries and multiple teams on bye. The matchup is fair, but unless the game script looks good or the matchup is great, it’s going to be hard to trust JCM as anything more than a depth piece. He can fill in as an RB2 with some volume, but he’s unlikely to save your fantasy team in Week 8.
Isiah Pacheco – RB, Kansas City Chiefs
It has been a disappointing season for Pacheco, but things could get better soon. The Chiefs are back to their winning ways and should have a better game script going forward. Monday Night Football could be a great opportunity.
Washington’s run defense hasn’t been awful, allowing the 15th-most fantasy points to the position. They also haven’t versed too many great RBs. Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier combined for 120+ yards and 2 TDs, and Josh Jacobs gained 80 yards and a score. D’Andre Swift even got his first 100+ yard game since Week 8 of the 2024 season. The other RBs they’ve played against have either not been great or they were down big early. That shouldn’t be the case for a Chiefs offense that got its best weapon back last week.
Pacheco has produced solid gains on limited carries, but it hasn’t been enough to justify starting him. It took a 31-0 win over an awful Raiders team for Pacheco to set a season-high 57 rushing yards. He also got his first rushing TD in that game. Washington will be without Jayden Daniels. Marcus Mariota and the Washington defense are unlikely to hold off the Chiefs for very long. Game-script should be in KC’s favor, and Pacheco could have a similar game to last week.
The biggest thing still working against Pacheco is the competition. Not only is Kareem Hunt not going away, but Brashard Smith continues to dominate the receiving work. Upside will always be capped, but Pacheco could become a more stable RB2. This is a solid matchup for him, and the starters should have more playing time in this one than in the Raiders blowout. You can start Pacheco in Week 8.
Zach Ertz – TE, Washington Commanders
It’s crazy to think Ertz is still a fantasy asset at nearly 35 years old. With 4 TDs in 7 games already, he’s on pace for a career-high. Ertz has finished with double-digit PPR points in over half of his games, including the past two weeks. Now rostered in a majority of fantasy leagues, you may
Because there is only one Monday game this week, it’s unlikely that you have a choice between Ertz and another viable option. However, you may still want to know what your odds of winning look like with him. The Kansas City Chiefs will make things difficult for him. They’re allowing the 3rd fewest fantasy points to the position, and have only allowed a TE to score once all year.
Ertz is tied with Deebo Samuel for the most red zone targets on the team, with 4. Just by opportunity, we could see the TE get into the end zone. Kansas City also projects to lead, so Washington may need to throw a lot. The matchup is rough, though, and fantasy managers could be disappointed in Week 8. Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel will also play, which could hurt his volume.
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