Dynasty Fantasy Football Free Agency Preview 2026: Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs fans are not used to this. Not just the losing record, but the uncertainty surrounding the team. Will Travis Kelce be back? Will Patrick Mahomes be ready? Will Rashee Rice be available? Who will play running back?

There are a lot of questions in Kansas City all of a sudden. And it’s our job to try to answer some of them via free agency. We’re going to take a look at the depth chart, the contracts, and the cap space to make some predictions here. If there is a fantasy football spin, we’ll include that too.

Believe it or not, this is the final team in our Team A Day Til Free Agency series. All 32 are now in the books. If you’d like to see how that affects all our takes for fantasy football, become a Fantasy Alarm Member today to access our full Dynasty Fantasy Football Rankings along with our buy, hold, or sell recommendations!

*The salary cap numbers referenced in this article come courtesy of our friends over at Spotrac.com*

Kansas City Chiefs Depth Chart 2026 (Fantasy Football Relevant)

KEY

• White = free agent
• Green = role is safe
• Yellow =  role in flux
• Orange = likely a depth piece
• Red = roster spot not guaranteed

Kansas City Chiefs Free Agency 2026

• CURRENT PROJECTED TOP 51 2026 SALARIES: $280M
• CURRENT ESTIMATED 2026 TEAM CAP SPACE: -$1M

Free Agent Types

Unrestricted free agent: Any player with four or more accrued seasons whose contract has expired. They are free to negotiate with any team.

Restricted free agent: A player with three accrued seasons and an expired contract. The CBA allowed for NFL teams to tender these players to one-year qualifying offers to retain them. Another team can sign them, but would need to provide the tendering team with compensation. In layman’s terms, if a new team signs a player, the current team can match it, or they receive the corresponding pick from the new team. These are the projected RFA tender levels per OverTheCap.com:

• 1st Round - $7,893,000
• 2nd Round - $5,658,000
• Right of First Refusal - $3,453,000

Exclusive rights free agent: Any player with fewer than three accrued seasons and an expired contract. If his original team offers him a one-year contract at the league minimum, the player cannot negotiate with other teams. If the team wants the player back, these contracts are a no-brainer, as the player either needs to play on the contract or sit out. 

Chiefs Quarterback Depth Chart

Patrick Mahomes

Patrick Mahomes is the man, and he’s locked into a long-term deal. They were able to use his contract for restructuring and free up some cap space this offseason. The big rub here for 2026 is that he suffered a very late-season injury with a torn ACL and LCL in his left leg on December 14th. That could see him miss the start of the season.

In redraft, that is a risk you’ll need to figure out based on league type and roster spots. In dynasty fantasy football leagues, this is a guy I’m buying. I still believe he’s special, and he’s still only 30 years old. Believe it or not, Tom Brady didn’t throw 30 TD passes in a season until he was 30. I mean, Brady did throw 50 TDs that season, so he did it in style, but still, the point is that Mahomes still has a lot of great football to play. 

Gardner Minshew

Gardner Minshew was still owed $3.16M in guaranteed money from his Raiders deal, so, based on offset language, agreed to sign a veteran minimum deal with the Chiefs. He filled in briefly after Patrick Mahomes got hurt, but suffered his own knee injury in his first start. He’s a free agent, but could be an option to start while Mahomes recovers, as his own knee injury was not as severe. 

Chris Oladokun

The former seventh-round pick had bounced around the practice squad, then got his chance to start when Minshew got hurt. And it was uninspiring. He can be kept as an exclusive rights free agent for the vet minimum, so he could be back as QB3 if they want.

• Reserves/Futures: Jake Haener

CHIEFS QB FREE AGENCY TAKE: Mahomes suffered a torn ACL on December 14th, so conventional wisdom would suggest that he misses time. But reports are good about how fast his recovery is progressing, so there is a chance that he will miss minimal to no time. Either way, it would be wise to have a solid backup on board to not only be available but to give the team a good look in practice through the entire offseason when Mahomes is out.

Minshew is an option if he’s willing to come back on an affordable deal. There are some guys out there who are expected to be released that will have the same guarantee/offset language that Minshew had, which will allow them to sign for the veteran minimum like Kirk Cousins and Geno Smith. And then there are some interesting names floating in free agency. It’s a tough balance here because some guys want to play, even if it’s a couple of games, and Mahomes has been pushing to change that narrative. 

• POSSIBLE FREE AGENT OPTIONS: Gardner Minshew, Kirk Cousins, Geno Smith, Carson Wentz, Marcus Mariota, Tyrod Taylor

Chiefs Running Back Depth Chart

Isiah Pacheco

Pacheco is an unrestricted free agent, and it sounds like he’s going to test the open market. He’s been a bruising presence for the Chiefs when healthy, but he’s not particularly dynamic in the pass game. I could see him jumping in with a team that has a third-down back already that needs some help with short-area work. Teams like the Lions, Broncos, and Saints come to mind. 

Kareem Hunt

Hunt is also an unrestricted free agent. He could be back for depth in Kansas City, but he’s not the solution as the starting back. He could land somewhere else as the pass-down back behind an early down starter. The Seahawks are going to need help alongside Zach Charbonet (who is recovering from injury). The Vikings now could use someone after announcing that Aaron Jones will be released as well. 

Brashard Smith

The Chiefs always seem to have some late-round back that people get excited about for fantasy football, like Darwin Thompson or Carson Steele. Brashard Smith took the mantle for that in 2026, disappointing fantasy managers even when Isiah Pacheco missed time. That said, he does help returning punts and kicks, so I expect him back in 2026.     

Dameon Pierce

Another fantasy football darling who slowly fell out of favor with the Texans. Like Pacheco, he hopes to catch on somewhere as a short-yardage back or possible kick returner. He struggled in pass protection during his time in Houston.

Keaontay Ingram

Ingram spent time with the Cardinals before bouncing around the fringes of the Chiefs roster. We didn’t get to see if he would make the team this year, as he spent the season on IR. He’s a free agent. 

• Reserves/Futures: ShunDerick Powell

CHIEFS RB FREE AGENCY TAKE: Every year, it seems we do some “fantasy wishing” at the Chiefs running back spot. And then they let us down. This year does feel a little bit different as there is some steam about them paying a high-end free agent or possibly even drafting Jeremiyah Love. It’s rare for them to pick top 10, but that’s where they land this year.

They also only have Brashard Smith under contract (unless you count future/reserves, which are generally practice squad guys). So we’re willing to speculate and look at the top names here. And we’re willing to get hurt again. 

• POSSIBLE FREE AGENT OPTIONS: Kenneth Walker, Travis Etienne Jr, Rico Dowdle, Kenneth Gainwell, Rachaad White, Tyler Allgeier, Isiah Pacheco

Chiefs Wide Receiver Depth Chart

Rashee Rice

Rice is the top wide receiver on the team when he’s healthy and out of trouble. That hasn’t been the case on either front lately for him. His situation makes him one of the most high-risk, high-reward assets both in real life and fantasy football.

The big thing with Rice is that he’s on probation for a car racing incident where people got injured. He basically now has to do 30 days in jail and stay out of trouble for five years. Not only has that proven a difficult task for him, but he recently had a lawsuit against him from his partner and the mother of his children that alleges some pretty nasty things. If you can trade him for anywhere near full value, I’d try to get off Rice’s wild ride.

Xavier Worthy

There were hopes that the speedster Xaviert Worthy could come in and be the next Tyreek Hill in Kansas City. But that hasn’t quite materialized as he’s not really hitting the home runs we had hoped he would. This year, he only scored one total touchdown on 42 catches for 532 yards. Playing in his absence, Tyquan Thornton actually made more big plays than Worthy did. If you are holding out hope for Worthy, you kind of have to believe the narrative that injuries slowed him down, then injuries to the QB position capped things off. 

JuJu Smith-Schuster

JuJu has served as the replacement for Rashee Rice, which means he’s been a busy man. He’s an unrestricted free agent, but with everything that goes on with Rice, I could see them retaining him to have available if necessary. I don’t see another team coming in and paying him big money.

Marquise Brown

Marquise Brown was finally healthy in 2026. But he never really carved out a meaningful role with the Chiefs. I expect him to move on in free agency, and I could possibly see a reunion with Lamar Jackson in Baltimore if he’s willing to play ball. 

Tyquan Thornton

The castoff from New England actually flashed at times here, filling in for Xavier Worhty. I think that could earn him a look from another team in free agency. He’s probably still just a best ball play for fantasy or a deep dynasty stash, but those players are valuable in real life, as you need to respect the speed. 

Jalen Royals

Obviously, missing time is bad for any player, but it’s especially bad for rookies. You miss important installs and reps. Most importantly, you miss a chance to carve out a meaningful role early. And that’s what happened with Royals. To make matters worse, wide receiver coach Connor Embree has been fired, and he was a guy in Royals’ corner. If you have him in dynasty, keep holding, but we like to see more from rookies. 

Nikko Remigio

Remigio is a free agent here and, if they don’t bring him back, they will need to find someone else to help with kicks and punts. He’s an exclusive rights free agent, so I do expect them to bring him back on that veteran minimum tender.

• Reserves/Futures: Jimmy Holiday, Jason Brownlee, Andrew Armstrong

CHIEFS WR FREE AGENCY TAKE: On paper, the Chiefs have made a lot of investment in wide receivers. And, if Rashee Rice’s future were a little more certain, they probably would not need to make much of a move. And maybe they don’t need to do anything here if they believe his situation is going to just clear up.

One element they haven’t really had since guys like Sammy Watkins, DeAndre Hopkins, and Justin Watson left is a bigger body that can play on the outside and run block. They could potentially add someone there and add that element back. Obviously, the top name is Mike Evans, but there are some more role-player level guys that probably make more sense.

• POSSIBLE FREE AGENT OPTIONS: Romeo Doubs, Olamide Zaccheaus, Tim Patrick, Jalen Tolbert, Noah Brown, Treylon Burks, Josh Reynolds

Chiefs Tight End Depth Chart

Travis Kelce

The rumors floating around Travis Kelce suggest that he will return to run it back one more time. And that’s what I expect to happen here as well. Even though Kelce isn’t operating at a peak level anymore, he can still help an NFL team. And he also quietly finished at TE3 last year in fantasy football. The upside might not be super high, but Kelce should offer some floor. The Chiefs really need to start looking for their future tight end.

Noah Gray

Some believe that Noah Gray will be the heir apparent to Kelce, but I don’t see it that way. For me, he profiles as more of an inline blocking tight end, which is what his role has been anyway. He played 700+ snaps in 2024 and 545 this past season, so he already has a role on the team. This is the kind of guy I look to sell in dynasty if anyone thinks he’s going to be the next Travis Kelce. 

Robert Tonyan

Tonyan had a solid, if not touchdown-heavy, fantasy season back with Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. But has since bounced around without being able to hold down a meaningful role. Injuries have certainly played a part there. He served as the Chiefs' third tight end while also playing some special teams, so he could be back as an unrestricted free agent. 

Jared Wiley

The fourth-round pick suffered an ACL tear in 2024 and missed a big chunk of 2025. He failed to really pass Robert Tonyan on the depth chart when he returned. At this stage, I don’t really see a breakout happening - and his roster spot might not be a lock.

Jake Briningstool

We don’t know for sure if Briningstool would have made the roster or not, as he was placed on IR with a serious hamstring injury. He’s signed to an undrafted free agent contract, so he isn’t a roster lock. 

• Reserves/Futures: Anthony Firkser, Baylor Cupp

CHIEFS TE FREE AGENCY TAKE: Obviously, with Kelce back there wouldn’t be much room for speculation. So, for the sake of discussion, let’s consider a world where he is not back. They need a pass-catching tight end, preferably one who can line up at WR often. Barring a trade for the franchise-tagged Kyle Pitts, there are the free agent names that make sense.

• POSSIBLE FREE AGENT OPTIONS: David Njoku, Chig Okonkwo, Isaiah Likely, Darren Waller, Evan Engram (via trade)

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