Patrick Mahomes rarely finds himself outside the top tier of quarterback conversations. Yet as the 2026 NFL season approaches, ESPN has raised an unexpected question about his fantasy value. The issue is not a sudden loss of talent. It is what Mahomes may choose to do with his legs after a serious knee injury. That one change could have a major impact on how fantasy managers view the Kansas City Chiefs star.
Patrick Mahomes’ fantasy ranking takes a surprising hit
NFL insider Field Yates recently explained why a No. 15 fantasy ranking for Mahomes is not as shocking as it sounds.“To be very clear, nobody is saying Patrick Mahomes is anywhere close to the 15th-best quarterback in the NFL,” Yates said on ESPN. “I have him a little bit higher in my fantasy rankings, but that number 15 ranking overall is not that crazy of a thought, and there’s a very specific reason.”Fantasy football does not reward reputation. It rewards points, and Mahomes produced plenty of them on the ground last season.In 14 games during 2025, he threw for 3,587 yards with 22 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He also rushed for 422 yards and five touchdowns, helping him average 22.7 fantasy points per game.Those rushing numbers mattered. The 422 yards were a career high, and his five rushing scores gave managers a valuable bonus that many traditional pocket passers cannot provide.That is exactly where Yates sees the biggest concern heading into 2026.“Greeny (Mike Greenberg), you may recall that last year Patrick Mahomes was running for his life. As a matter of fact, he scored the fourth most fantasy points per game of any quarterback last year just using his legs. He’s now coming off of a major knee injury. Patrick Mahomes will not be running nearly as much in 2026 as he did last season,” Yates added on Get Up, ESPN.
Patrick Mahomes’ knee could change his Chiefs role
Mahomes suffered torn ACL and LCL ligaments in his left knee during Kansas City’s Week 15 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. His rehabilitation has progressed well, but the return of his natural mobility remains one of the biggest storylines surrounding the quarterback.The Chiefs have little reason to rush him. Their priority is having Mahomes healthy for the games that matter most.NFL insider Dan Graziano described seeing Mahomes test his movement during training camp, including throws while moving in both directions.“Mahomes seems ready for it. When I was there, Greeny (Mike Greenberg), he was testing the thing out, trying to see if he could move around, throw, you know, move around to his left and throw, move around to his right and throw, try and see if he has all the strength back in that. But so far, he has checked every box,” Graziano said.Kansas City has also added running back Kenneth Walker III, giving the offense another option to carry the rushing burden.For Mahomes, the challenge is different. He must regain confidence in his knee without feeling forced to prove anything with his legs. If he runs less, his arm will need to make up the difference.That could make his 2026 fantasy ranking more unpredictable, but it does not make him any less important to the Chiefs’ championship hopes.
