Who Should I Start? Jaylen Watson or Damarri Mathis

Tuesday, October 22, 1:21 PM

Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Jaylen Watson (ankle) will have surgery in the coming days to fix a broken fibula-tibia after tests confirmed the serious injury, according to sources. There's an outside chance that Watson could return for a late-season playoff push, but his season could very well be over. In a best-case scenario, the 26-year-old might be able to return if the Chiefs make a third straight trip to the Super Bowl early in 2025. It's a big blow for Kansas City's secondary, as Watson had essentially become an every-snap starter on the outside this year before getting hurt in the Week 7 win over the San Francisco 49ers. The former seventh-rounder in 2022 had recorded 32 tackles (21 solo) and six pass breakups in his six games this year. Expect both Nazeeh Johnson and Joshua Williams to take on bigger roles with Watson now out the rest of the way.

Sunday, August 25, 6:46 PM

Denver Broncos defensive back Damarri Mathis (ankle) was removed early during Sunday's preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals. Mathis had to be carted off the field after suffering what looked to be a bad ankle injury during Sunday's game. The assumption is that the Broncos will have Mathis undergo further testing to determine the severity of the injury. At the moment, it's uncertain if Mathis will be ready to play in the regular season opener. That being said, Riley Moss would likely be the next man up to start alongside Patrick Surtain, assuming Mathis misses time. The absence of Mathis would certainly be a hit to the Broncos secondary.