Chiefs 2021 Preview: Kansas City 2020 Recap, 2021 NFL Outlook For Fantasy Football & Betting

Frank AmmiranteSenior Sports Writer
@FAmmiranteTFJ
Last Updated: Jul 14, 2023

Here’s The Game Day’s Kansas City Chiefs 2021 NFL Preview: Kansas City 2020 Recap, 2021 Team Outlook For Fantasy Football & Betting.

Kansas City Chiefs 2021 Preview: Kansas City 2020 Recap, 2021 NFL Team Outlook For Fantasy Football & Betting

Kansas City Chiefs 2020 Recap

  • Final record: 14-2 (6-2 Home/8-0 Away)
  • Division regular-season finish: 1st
  • Result: 2021 Super Bowl 55 runner-up

The Kansas City Chiefs capped off a dominant season with another trip to the Super Bowl, only to fall short to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Chiefs should be among the NFL’s elite once again, led by the best quarterback in football in Patrick Mahomes.


Kansas City Chiefs 2021 Offseason Changes

Kansas City Chiefs 2021 Offseason Departures

  • FB Anthony Sherman
  • OT Eric Fisher
  • OT Mitchell Schwartz
  • C Austin Reiter
  • RB Damien Williams
  • RB Le’Veon Bell
  • WR Sammy Watkins
  • DE Tanoh Kpassagnon
  • LB Damien Wilson

Kansas City Chiefs 2021 Free-Agency/Offseason Additions

  • OT Orlando Brown
  • OG Joe Thuney
  • OG Kyle Long
  • RB Jerick McKinnon

Kansas City Chiefs 2021 NFL Draft Picks

  • LB Nick Bolton, Missouri (Round 2, Pick 58)
  • C Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma (Round 2, Pick 63)
  • DE Joshua Kaindoh, Florida St. (Round 4, Pick 144)
  • TE Noah Gray, Duke (Round 5, Pick 162)
  • WR Cornell Powell, Clemson (Round 5, Pick 181)
  • OG Trey Smith, Tennessee (Round 6, Pick 226)

Kansas City Chiefs 2021 Preview & Outlook

The Kansas City Chiefs will continue to have a prolific offense led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, wide receiver Tyreek Hill, and tight end Travis Kelce. The team addressed its biggest question mark highlighted in the Super Bowl loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by revamping its offensive line.

Orlando Brown will step in at left tackle, joined by Kyle Long and Joe Thuney at guard. This should be an improved unit and the offense can continue to function at an extremely high level.

On defense, the Chiefs finished 22nd in overall DVOA (16th vs. pass, 31st vs. run). This unit just needs to be solid against the pass because opponents will likely have to air it out to keep pace with this explosive offense. Chris Jones and Frank Clark remain a strong pass-rushing duo, while sophomore cornerback L’Jarius Sneed (73.7 PFF Coverage Grade) performed well as a rookie. This defense should get the job done for the Chiefs.

The continuity on the coaching staff is huge for the Chiefs, with both coordinators remaining in Kansas City. Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has long been one of the hot coaching candidates, but he did not land a head coaching gig and his return to the team bodes well for the offense. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will enter his third season with the team. Led by head coach Andy Reid, this is one of the best coaching staffs in football.

The AFC West has improved this offseason, with the Los Angeles Chargers bolstering their offensive line, making them a legitimate threat to the Chiefs. The Denver Broncos should remain competitive with a strong skills-group and improving defense. The Las Vegas Raiders look like the worst team in the division.

While the Chiefs remain heavy favorites, it won’t be easy this year, especially with Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert looking like the real deal. Having said that, the Chiefs 2021 outlook remains positive. They should win this division as one of the elite teams in the NFL.


Kansas City Chiefs 2021 Fantasy Football Tips

Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce remain truly elite fantasy football picks at their respective positions. Mahomes (QB1), Hill (WR2), and Kelce (TE1) are coming off dominant seasons, ranking at the top in fantasy points per game. This Kansas City Chiefs offense should remain pass-heavy, so this trio will continue to produce at an extremely high level. Sammy Watkins signed with the Baltimore Ravens and the team didn’t add a wide receiver, making it likely that we see similar target shares for Hill and Kelce.

At running back, rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire was one of the biggest disappointments, finishing as RB20 in fantasy points per game (PPR) despite being selected in the middle of the first round in fantasy football drafts by late August. The team replaced Le’Veon Bell with Jerick McKinnon, who should eat into CEH’s touches, particularly in the passing game.

CEH is currently being drafted as RB14 (21.9 ADP), so there’s still some buzz around him because the widespread belief is that he will jump into a high-volume role in Year 2. While the Chiefs will still air it out often, CEH will have passing volume and high touchdown equity in the best offense in the NFL. He can definitely bounce back in 2021.


Kansas City Chiefs 2021 NFL Futures Bet Tips

AFC West Division Finish Bet: 1st Chiefs/2nd Chargers (+210) at BetMGM

The Chiefs are currently listed as -303 favorites to win the division at BetMGM, which is too high of a price to pay. Instead, you can get some value by picking the Chiefs to win the division and Chargers to finish 2nd. The Chargers will be much-improved this season after their additions on the offensive line. They look like the clear-cut second-best team in the AFC West.

This is a good way to get some action on the Chiefs as division winners at a much better value.

Chiefs to win AFC West & Patrick Mahomes to win MVP (+700) at BetMGM

Another great way to gain value with a Chiefs futures bet is to pick them to win the division with Mahomes winning MVP. Mahomes is a special quarterback who should be among MVP candidates every season, as long as he stays healthy. If the Chiefs win the division, it’s likely that Mahomes will have a chance at another MVP award, making this a terrific value at +700.

Patrick Mahomes To Win 2021 NFL MVP Award (+600) at BetMGM

Mahomes has a chance for a career season with the improvements made on the offensive line. I prefer to combine this bet with the Chiefs to win the AFC West because if Mahomes wins MVP, the Chiefs are guaranteed to be division winners as well. However, this remains a good bet on by itself. Expect Mahomes to be at the top of every passing category.

Kansas City Chiefs OVER 12.5 Regular Season Wins (+105) at BetMGM

The Chiefs have won 12 or more games in each of the last three seasons, including 14 wins in 2020. While the AFC West has improved, this team is still the class of the NFL and should be able to eclipse this total, especially since the season has been extended for another game. There will be 17 games in 2021, making it this number even more attainable.

Kansas City Chiefs 2021 futures bets odds and lines courtesy of BetMGM. BetMGM has a welcome offer for a Second-Chance Bet of up to $600. Use promo code THEGAMEDAY or click here to sign up for a new account.


Done reading the Kansas City Chiefs 2021 NFL Preview? Read the rest of our NFL betting and fantasy football tips.

Author

Frank Ammirante

Frank Ammirante is a Senior Sports Writer at The Game Day. Previously, he wrote for 4for4 Football and RotoBaller. Frank is a member of the Fantasy Sports Writer's Association while maintaining an active presence within the community. He has competed in industry contests like the Scott Fish Bowl, The Great Fantasy Baseball Invitational, and more. Frank will be making his debut in Tout Wars this year. He's got a diverse sporting background, but specializes in football and baseball.

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