Training Camp Updates With Fantasy Football Impacts: Patrick Mahomes Will Not Appear in Preseason Games

Another week of training camp is coming to a close, and that just means we're one week closer to real football. We got a taste of it with the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, and the other 30 teams are days away from joining the Cardinals and Panthers on the field for exhibition games.

We had some news on Friday that could have an impact fantasy football drafts taking place later this month.

Training Camp Updates for Fantasy Football

Patrick Mahomes not expected to play in preseason

Chiefs HC Andy Reid said Patrick Mahomes will not play in their preseason opener and did not expect him to participate in any exhibition games, as reported by The Athletic’s Nate Taylor, who covers the Chiefs.

This is big, because the Chiefs are one of the few teams that have traditionally played their veterans, even the stars, during the preseason. It may just be a series in one exhibition game, but seeing Mahomes out there with Travis Kelce and company has been important to shake off the rust and help the offense get in rhythm by the start of the season.

The reason for Mahomes sitting out the preseason is completely related to the torn ACL/LCL that he suffered last season in Week 15. Wanting to get back on the field as quickly as possible, Mahomes had surgery on Dec. 15, 2025, the day after the injury. Week 1 against the Broncos will be Sept. 14, almost exactly nine months after the surgery date.

That is important, because team medical staffs as a rule do not clear players for game action less than nine months from their surgery date. Dr. Edwin Porras, the founder of Pro Athlete PT and also a longtime fantasy football injury analyst, recently launched the site injurypronedoc.com, which includes injury analysis on so many fantasy-relevant NFL players recovering from injuries.

Porras compared Mahomes’ injury recovery timeline to that of Joe Burrow before the 2021 season. Burrow was just past the nine-month mark in his recovery from ACL surgery when he took the field for his second season. All he did was play 16 games, pass for 4,611 yards and 34 TDs to win Comeback Player of the Year. Then he took the Bengals to the Super Bowl.

Porras said not to fade Mahomes coming off the ACL/LCL tear, saying that Mahomes is “trending toward a Week 1 start, so the injury risk right now is moderate, not high, and the price is a buy.”

Mahomes’ fantasy football ADP is QB 11 on Underdog, going at pick 95.8. That’s toward the end of the eighth round, and while his last big passing season was 2022 when he went for 5,250 yards and 41 TDs, since then he’s topped 4,000 yards just once. His fantasy football projections have him throwing for 3,950 yards and 25.5 TDs. I’d still recommend drafting him as a late-round QB option, but draft a backup just in case. Don’t expect him to run at the rate that he did prior to the injury, as QBs have curtailed their running post-ACL injuries over time, Porras said.

Matthew Berry's Draft Day Manifesto

Geno Smith-Garrett Wilson connection is taking shape

It’s really looking like Geno Smith is targeting Garrett Wilson early and often, and their connection is growing better as training camp goes along. Connor Hughes, who covers the Jets and Giants for SNY TV, noted that Smith threw to Wilson five times, and the WR hauled in all five balls.

“If you’re looking for a player to buy stock in, this might be the year to buy stock in Garrett Wilson,” Hughes said.

This is big, as Wilson is looking to get back to the form where he drew 322 targets and caught 196 balls over the 2023-24 seasons. Wilson is the clear WR1 for the Jets, and the fantasy community is counting on Wilson this year. He’s the WR21 going at pick 40 on Underdog.

Wilson is projected ninth in the league at 139 targets, with 90 catches for 1,039 yards his expected line. With Smith looking to get back to the form from his Seattle days, this could mean a big season is on the horizon for this big target earner.

Malachi Fields has inside track on WR2 for the Giants

With the buzz over Malik Nabers showcasing his running and cutting ability recently, the rest of the receiving corps for the Giants has been largely ignored. While we fully expect Nabers to be a target hog in New York, where the rest of the targets will go has been largely up for speculation.

The Athletic’s Dan Duggan is looking at rookie Malachi Fields as a primary candidate for the No. 2 WR role, citing his large frame (6-foot-4, 222 pounds) and contested-catch ability as keys to getting him on the field opposite Nabers.

The Notre Dame product got a Rookie Super Model score of 70.3, and Dwain McFarland noted that Fields could one day work his way into a starting role. Dwain wrote: “He is a big player who can win when the ball is in the air, but doesn't have top-end speed or make-you-miss ability after the grab.”

Could Fields pass up Isaiah Likely as the second target for Jaxson Dart? Currently our projections have Fields seeing a paltry 27 targets for 15 receptions and 177 yards. Likely’s projections have him at 73 targets, 55 receptions for 631 yards. But with this report, Fields will be a player we need to keep an eye on early in the season.

Matthew Berry's Fantasy Football Rankings

Marvin Mims suffers leg injury in practice

One of several WRs vying for targets in the Broncos’ crowded WR room, Marvin Mims pulled up with an apparent leg injury and left practice on Friday. This is something to follow, as offseason acquisition Jaylen Waddle also appeared to be nursing a leg injury earlier this week.

Waddle’s targets are pretty much assured, as are those of Courtland Sutton. Beyond that, the WR room for the Broncos is pretty open. Also, this is a high-volume passing attack, with Bo Nix leading the NFL with 612 attempts last year. Waddle and Sutton are the only WRs projected for more than 100 targets. Mims is projected for 27 but has shown game-breaking speed on deep balls. This is an injury to monitor.