Jerick McKinnon News

McKinnon remained in a clear backup role to Isiah Pacheco, though he made the most of his opportunities. His best sequence came on the Chiefs' opening possession of the second half when he racked up 21 rushing yards to help set up a touchdown for Pacheco. McKinnon will hit free agency, though Kansas City may be inclined to bring him back on a short-term deal to continue to pair with Pacheco.

The veteran running back didn't see much of an uptick in pass-catching opportunity even as the Chiefs lost receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster (knee), Kadarius Toney (ankle) and Mecole Hardman (pelvis) as the afternoon unfolded. McKinnon also filled his frequently modest role on the ground, and if backfield mate Clyde Edwards-Helaire (IR-ankle) is activated for the Super Bowl LVII matchup versus the Eagles in two weeks' time, McKinnon could see his touches reduce further in that contest.

McKinnon was stymied as a runner, and he was narrowly out-touched by Isiah Pacheco. While he was bottled up on the ground, the more surprising part of McKinnon's performance was the fact that he was not targeted in the passing game. That likely had to do with Patrick Mahomes' ankle injury early in the contest as well as the game script, and the Chiefs could opt to keep McKinnon in the backfield more regularly to serve as an extra blocker in next week's AFC Championship Game.

McKinnon didn't turn in his best fantasy effort of the bunch to close out the regular season, but he did extend his touchdown streak to six consecutive games with a receiving score against the Raiders, marking his eighth receiving touchdown over that span. He also added one rushing touchdown in that six-game stretch, giving him nine scores overall after tallying just one through the first 11 games. He figures to remain involved in Kansas City's backfield for the postseason run, presumably sharing reps with Isiah Pacheco and possibly Clyde Edwards-Helaire (ankle) if he's cleared to return.

McKinnon's notable contributions unsurprisingly came through the air, with the elite pass-catching back scoring from six and three yards out in the second and fourth quarters, respectively. McKinnon now has seven receiving touchdowns in the last five contests, giving him plenty of momentum heading into a Week 18 road battle against the Raiders that he should see action in considering the Chiefs will still be battling for the top seed in the AFC.

McKinnon was bottled up on the ground, but he was able to provide his fifth receiving touchdown -- and sixth overall -- over his last four games. Isiah Pacheco (90 yards on 15 touches) did the heavy lifting on early downs, but McKinnon's nose for the end zone as a receiver salvaged a down rushing performance. The 30-year-old is on an incredible hot streak and warrants starting until he cools off, but fantasy managers should be wary of the dud potential with a player is obviously very touchdown dependent. McKinnon will attempt to keep his scoring streak going against the Broncos next Sunday.