Three Sooners have made it to the pinnacle of football. Damien Williams, Blake Bell and James Winchester are heading to the Super Bowl.
Three Oklahoma players have made it to the pinnacle of football.
The Kansas City Chiefs just defeated the Tennessee Titans 35-24 in the AFC Championship to secure their spot in Super Bowl LIV. Former Oklahoma running back Damien Williams, quarterback and tight end Blake Bell as well as former longsnapper James Winchester are members of the Chiefs heading to the Super Bowl.
Williams has been a big factor in this Kansas City run the last two seasons. He is averaging two touchdowns per playoff game for the Chiefs in the two playoff runs, including one on Sunday to help Kansas City get to Miami for the Super Bowl.
Bell caught his first career touchdown pass against the Houston Texans last week in the Chiefs’ miraculous comeback from down 24-0 to win 51-31.
Winchester remains the starting long snapper for Kansas City.
Williams and Bell live in Oklahoma lore for huge performances and moments. Williams for his 95-yard run against Texas in the 2012 OU-Texas and Bell for his Belldozer running package and big-time late game performance in the 2013 Bedlam at quarterback.
The Kansas City Chiefs will take on the winner of the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV on Feb. 2.
Here’s a look at five Chiefs players to keep an eye on this week.
Sunday’s game between the Tennessee Titans and the Kansas City Chiefs will be the determining factor in which team represents the AFC in Super Bowl LIV.
Both teams will need breakout performances from some of their key players to come out with the win, and both Tennessee and Kansas City present their own unique challenges to their opponent.
Here’s a look at five Chiefs players to keep an eye on this week.
1. RB Damien Williams.
The Chiefs are much more of a passing team than they are a rushing team, but Williams has been an asset, finding the end zone on receptions and carries.
He’s been a historically dominant player in the postseason, having recorded four rushing touchdowns and three receiving scores in postseason contests, including last year’s.
He was a key factor in last week’s win over the Texans, finishing out with two rushing scores and one receiving touchdown.
Adam Gase’s former players have enjoyed career-high seasons without his as their head coach.
One of the funnier jokes to make the rounds on Twitter this season was how well former Adam Gase players performed after being freed from the shackles of his offense. Players like Ryan Tannehill, DeVante Parker and Kenyan Drake — who were all with Gase in Miami — have enjoyed career years in their first season away from the coach. Meanwhile, Jets players like Le’Veon Bell saw substantial dips in production.
The Jets brought Gase in because of his perceived offensive ingenuity, but so far the team hasn’t seen anything close to that. So while the Jets have seen their offensive numbers dwindle under Gase, his former players have enjoyed previously unseen success.
Here’s how seven former Gase players have fared without him.
(Maddie Meyer-Getty Images)
QB Ryan Tannehill, Titans
Gase came to Miami because of his perceived ability to elevate a quarterback’s play, but he actually did the opposite with Tannehill in their short time together. Tannehill saw his yards and touchdown totals drop once Gase came to Miami, and he only threw for 4,974 yards and 36 touchdowns in the two seasons Gase coached him.
The Dolphins traded Tannehill and a sixth-round pick to the Titans for a fourth-round pick last offseason. He enjoyed his best season to date despite only starting 12 games.
After he took over for Marcus Mariota in Week 6, Tannehill led the Titans to the AFC Championship with a 9-3 record. Tannehill also set career-highs in touchdowns (22) and completion percentage (70.3) – the later led the NFL. He also led the NFL in passer rating (117.5), yards per pass attempt (9.6) and yards per completion (13.6).
Top-ranked DFS PRO Jason Mezrahi, founder and CEO of WinDailySports.com, breaks down his favorite Daily Fantasy Football plays at various salary ranges for the AFC & NFC Championship Weekend of the NFL. Find out who Jason will be locking in his lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel.
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Top-ranked DFS PRO Jason Mezrahi, founder and CEO of WinDailySports.com, breaks down his favorite Daily Fantasy Football plays at various salary ranges for the AFC & NFC Championship Weekend of the NFL. Find out who Jason will be locking in his lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel.
QUARTERBACKS
PATRICK MAHOMES- $7700 DRAFTKINGS, $9500 FANDUEL
Patrick Mahomes is coming off monster game versus the Texans and is the clear top choice at Quarterback on this slate. He will be high owned but with a two-game slate it’s all about securing the top scorer here. Mahomes is averaging 23 points per game on the season and should be in for 25+ points in a home matchup versus the Titans. The Titans rank 28th vs opposing quarterbacks and without much of a run game, we should see most of the scoring through the air for the Chiefs. My lean on this slate is to target the Chiefs vs Titans game as much as possible as I think there will be 14-21 more points scored in this one.
RYAN TANNEHILL- $5500 DRAFTKINGS, $7700 FANDUEL
Tannehill and the Titans will have to pass to stay in this game. The man has been shockingly great since he has taken over the starting role. These Titans have been everyone’s bandwagon team after their glorious run to make the playoffs and shocking back to back upsets they have pulled off. I personally think they cover the spread and make this game interesting. Tannehill is averaging 19 points per game and has a nice matchup versus the Chiefs who rank 23rd vs opposing quarterbacks. For every 2 lineups I make with Mahomes I will own 1 share of Tannehill.
RUNNING BACKS
DERRICK HENRY- $8700 DRAFTKINGS, $9800 FANDUEL
Henry just can’t be stopped. The opposing defenses he has been facing know he is getting the ball and they can’t do anything about it. When he gets stopped at the line he finds a way to fall forward for 3-4 yards. Then he has the speed to break monster runs and the strength to stiff-arm opponents on his way to the end zone. This offense is running through the big man and he should be locked in all of your lineups. He is averaging 22 points per game and has been in the 30’s in most of his recent games. The Chiefs rank 24th vs opposing running backs and this is an obvious spot to lock Henry unless you can predict injuries or want to fade him on purely an ownership perspective. I would fade Henry in 1 of every 8 lineups I make just to be different from the field.
DAMIEN WILLIAMS- $7000 DRAFTKINGS, $7600 FANDUEL
Williams has secured his role as the every-down back for the Chiefs. He got all the goal-line work last week and is coming off a 3 touchdown game. Like I stated above I will be targeting most of my pieces from this game and want to secure the points through the ground and air from the Chiefs side. Williams is averaging 14 points per game and should provide a safe floor this weekend. The Titans rank 18th vs opposing running backs and I will be happy with a touchdown and combined 85 yards out of Williams as my RB2.
WIDE RECEIVERS
DEEBO SAMUEL- $5500 DRAFTKINGS, $6300 FANDUEL
I preached to pay up at quarterback and running back so I need to find us some value at the receiver position. I’m looking for upside and low ownership and Deebo provides that. The man is involved in the run game and is one of the most targeted 49er when they decide to pass the ball. This game should be higher scoring than last week’s affair with the Vikings so I predict Samuel to have a better game this week. He is averaging 12 points per game on the season and has a nice matchup against the Packers who rank 16th vs opposing wide receivers.
SAMMY WATKINS- $4600 DRAFTKINGS, $5200 FANDUEL
You know it’s a short slate and I’m digging for value when I mention the name Sammy Watkins. But we need value and upside, and Watkins provides that on this slate. He is the number 2 receiver on this Chiefs team and he can provide a long touchdown at any time. This is not a safe play by any means but on a two-game slate I will take Watkins who is averaging 10 points per game on the season. The Titans rank 18th vs opposing wide receivers so let’s hope Watkins takes advantage of that and secures a long touchdown on Sunday.
TIGHT ENDS
TRAVIS KELCE- $7100 DRAFTKINGS, $7800 FANDUEL
If I can afford it I plan to pay up for safety at the tight end position on this slate and lock up my 15+ points and hope the upside comes. For the same reasons I like Mahomes above, Kelce makes for a great stack. The Titans have trouble defending the pass and specifically covering the tight end where they rank 25th against the position. On a two-game slate its slim pickings at tight end, so play it safe and get cute elsewhere.
JONNU SMITH- $3400 DRAFTKINGS, $5600 FANDUEL
We need value on this slate and as long as Kelce doesn’t have a repeat performance Jonnu Smith should be a safe play at his price. He made a remarkable catch versus the Ravens last week and gets a dream matchup this week. Even if I pay up for Kelce at tight end I don’t mind playing Smith in my flex position for a great value. The Chiefs are towards the bottom of the league defending the tight end and rank 28th so lock in Smith for one of the best point per dollar option on the slate.
DEFENSES
49ERS- $3200 DRAFTKINGS, $4600 FANDUEL
The 49ers defense looked unstoppable last game versus the Vikings. The held the Vikings to 7 first downs the entire game, 0 first downs via the rush, and held them to 0 first downs over a 27-minute span of the game. Keep it simple and play the 49ers at home. I know Aaron Rodgers is on the other side of the ball and he wants to stick it to the Niners for not drafting him but this defense is too good and Rodgers doesn’t have enough weapons beside him.
PACKERS- $2700 DRAFTKINGS, $4000 FANDUEL
The Packers are my value defense at almost minimum price on both sites. The Packers are my default value defense because I’m staying away from the Chiefs vs Titans game. Add the fact they are facing off against the unproven playoff arm of Jimmy G and we have some nice upside at the price so click the button and hope for the best. Jimmy will make a mistake or two and hopefully the Packers defense can do some damage.
Jason Mezrahi has been a professional, top-ranked Daily Fantasy Player on FanDuel and DraftKings for more than seven years. He has won FanDuel’s $155,555 King of the Diamond competition and placed second in DraftKings’ Fantasy Basketball World Championship, earning him $300,000. He owns and operates WinDailySports.com, which supports the DFS and Sports Betting community with resources such as tools, projection models, in-depth written analysis and podcasts, plus much more.
Top-ranked DFS PRO Jason Mezrahi, founder and CEO of WinDailySports.com, breaks down his favorite Daily Fantasy Football plays at various salary ranges for the Divisional Round Weekend of the NFL. Find out who Jason will be locking in his lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel.
Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Top-ranked DFS PRO Jason Mezrahi, founder and CEO of WinDailySports.com, breaks down his favorite Daily Fantasy Football plays at various salary ranges for the Divisional Round Weekend of the NFL. Find out who Jason will be locking in his lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel.
QUARTERBACKS
LAMAR JACKSON- $8400 DRAFTKINGS, $9400 FANDUEL
Lamar Jackson is the soon to be MVP and will be asked to put on a performance to carry these Ravens to a Super Bowl championship. Lamar’s season rivals the top running backs of the league and if this trend continues through the playoffs he will be winning everyone who rosters him a bunch of money. Jackson is averaging 29 fantasy points per game, with over 3000 passing yards, and 1200 rushing yards. He has been super consistent and his bad performances have still crushed other quarterbacks on the slate. If the Titans can keep up with the Ravens, Lamar should carve up this 24th ranked pass defense and lock in 25+ points.
PATRICK MAHOMES- $7500 DRAFTKINGS, $8600 FANDUEL
Mahomes has a chip on his shoulder and weapons to do something about it. He has a ceiling as high as Lamar Jackson with a similar floor as well. On top of his talent and weapons around him he also has the best matchup on the board facing the 29th ranked defense versus the quarterback. Playoff slates are tough, but I feel confident locking up my 20+ points with one of the two top quarterbacks and digging for value at the other skilled positions.
RUNNING BACKS
AARON JONES- $7400 DRAFTKINGS, $8200 FANDUEL
Jones is having a breakout season and he will continue his run in a home matchup versus the Seahawks. Jones reminds me of a mini version of Derrick Henry at a nice price discount. He hasn’t accumulated as many yards from scrimmage but he matched him with 19 touchdowns on the season. Jones is the focal point in this Green Bay offense and will be used heavily in a matchup versus the Seahawks. The Seahawks will get gashed by the Packer run game and have had issues stopping the run all season. Game script will also be in Aaron’s favor which should lead to extra carries in the fourth quarter so ride him to value.
DAMIEN WILLIAMS- $6000 DRAFTKINGS, $6900 FANDUEL
To pay up for a quarterback and other skilled positions we need to find some value and Williams provides that. Towards the end of the season, Williams was used more heavily and flashed some upside. I see the Chiefs dominating this game on both sides of the ball and I want the cheap exposure to this offense and I get that with Williams. My strategy will be to run 1 lineup with Williams and the Chiefs defense and another lineup with Mahomes with Kelce or Hill.
WIDE RECEIVERS
DEEBO SAMUEL- $5200 DRAFTKINGS, $6100 FANDUEL
Samuel is a rookie wide receiver who has the upside to win you a tournament. He’s elusive when he gets the ball in his hands and he provides the upside, low ownership, and value we need to separate us from the field. Pair that with the fact that the Vikings rank 26th against opposing wide receivers and we should have a breakout performance. As long as the Vikings stay in the game late we could see some fireworks out of Deebo. Samuel is more of a tournament play for me than a cash game play.
ADAM THIELEN- $6200 DRAFTKINGS, $6900 FANDUEL
Adam Thielen is an elite wide receiver priced like a mid-tier player. Thielen, for the most part, has been resting since week 9 but will play a major role if the Vikings can keep this close. The Vikings should be playing from behind in this game and will have to score to keep up. Similar to last week I want to take advantage of the price discount coupled with the game script factor. Thielen is a safe cash game play with tournament upside in the mid-range to lock into your lineups and build around.
TIGHT ENDS
TRAVIS KELCE- $6400 DRAFTKINGS, $7500 FANDUEL
I plan to pay up for safety at the tight end position on this slate and lock up my 10+ points and hope the upside comes. For the same reasons I like Mahomes above, Kelce makes for a great stack. The Texans have trouble defending the pass and specifically covering the tight end where they rank 19th against the position. On a four-game slate its slim pickings at tight end, so play it safe and get cute elsewhere.
MARK ANDREWS- $5600 DRAFTKINGS, $6800 FANDUEL
Andrews is the safest Raven to stack with Lamar Jackson. The hope with Andrews is that he breaks the slate with one of his 20 point performances while all the other tight ends cap out at 10 points or less. He has four 20+ point performances on the season and could be in line for his fifth. Tennessee struggles defending the pass ranking 24th in passing yards per game and also rank 23rd covering the tight end. Lock up Andrews in all of your Jackson stacks and feel free to play in both cash and tournaments.
DEFENSES
CHIEFS- $3200 DRAFTKINGS, $4200 FANDUEL
I will set the over/under on Watson stacks at 5 and I believe the Chiefs go over it. The Bills are not a sack heavy team and they got to Watson all day long and accumulated a ton of fantasy points strictly on sacks. The Chiefs are cheap, playing at home, and are facing an offensive line who can’t protect their quarterback. Take the discount with the Chiefs and watch them bring the heat and force turnovers all day long.
VIKINGS- $2700 DRAFTKINGS, $3700 FANDUEL
The Vikings are my value defense at almost minimum price on both sites. We saw what this defense did on the road versus Drew Brees, Michael Thomas, and the Saints offense. On paper, this should be an easier matchup for this Defense and I like the price. The Vikings have been consistently good all season and average nine fantasy points per game as a defense. Add the fact they are facing off against the unproven playoff arm of Jimmy G and we have some nice upside at the price so click the button and hope for the best.
Jason Mezrahi has been a professional, top-ranked Daily Fantasy Player on FanDuel and DraftKings for more than seven years. He has won FanDuel’s $155,555 King of the Diamond competition and placed second in DraftKings’ Fantasy Basketball World Championship, earning him $300,000. He owns and operates WinDailySports.com, which supports the DFS and Sports Betting community with resources such as tools, projection models, in-depth written analysis and podcasts, plus much more.
A detailed scouting report on the Chiefs’ Week 13 opponent, the Oakland Raiders.
The 7-4 Kansas City Chiefs return from their bye week to face the 6-5 Oakland Raiders at Arrowhead.
Back in Week 2, the Chiefs beat the Raiders 28-10. Oakland jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead but would fall flat and not score another point. The Chiefs exploded in the second quarter with 28 points and never look back.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for 443 yards and four touchdowns and receiver Demarcus Robinson had a career day with six receptions for 172 yards and two touchdowns.
Kansas City is looking to sweep Oakland for the fifth time in the last seven seasons. If it does, it will essentially have a three-game lead over the Raiders with just four games to go, all but locking up the AFC West.
Some more injuries for the Kansas City Chiefs as they face the Los Angeles Chargers.
Name a more iconic duo than the 2019 Kansas City Chiefs and injuries.
After losing wide receiver Tyreek Hill to a hamstring injury earlier in the game, the Chiefs have now lost running back Damien Williams to a rib injury and safety Jordan Lucas to a shoulder injury. Both players are listed as questionable to return but don’t hold your breath on a return for either player.
Williams was injured in an ugly collision with linebacker Thomas Davis. He was writhing in pain on the ground after taking a knee to the ribcage while being tackled to the ground. It didn’t look too pretty and the only saving grace is that he was able to get up and walk off the field under his own power.
Damien Williams is questionable to return with a rib injury.
As for Jordan Lucas, it appears that he was injured on a special teams play. Kansas City is calling his injury a shoulder injury. That’s where he makes the biggest impact for the Chiefs too. They’ll miss him there, but it’s not exactly like the ST units for Kansas City have been exceptional this season.
Luckily for the Chiefs, they still have two really good options at the RB position in LeSean McCoy and Darrel Williams. That should help offset the loss of Damien for the time being. Hopefully, the Chiefs aren’t dealing with a long-term injury, but if they are they should be okay given the depth they have at the position.
Update:
The Chiefs have ruled out both players with their respective injuries.
