Who Should I Start? Patrick Mahomes or Taylor Heinicke

Saturday, August 29, 10:05 AM

Kansas City Chiefs starting quarterback Patrick Mahomes is on track to start Week 1 against the Denver Broncos on Monday, Sept. 14, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Saturday. "Maybe [the Chiefs} will have to adjust to a little more run game, a little more defense; we shall see," Rapoport said of Kansas City's Week 1 scheme. "But Patrick Mahomes is tracking to be on the field when the season begins." The 30-year-old signal-caller has been a full participant in training camp but has not seen any game action since tearing his ACL and LCL in Week 15 against the Los Angeles Chargers last year. The two-time Pro Bowler has seen dips in his production over the last two seasons, and he ended 2025 with a 62.7% completion rate and a 22:11 TD:INT ratio. Given the major knee surgery and the fact that the Chiefs' offense lacks the downfield explosiveness it had a few years ago, fantasy managers should consider Mahomes a high-end QB2 heading into the 2026 season.