Chiefs: Andy Reid Backs Rookie Kahlil Benson to Protect Mahomes

Reid backs an undrafted rookie up front

Andy Reid says he's confident undrafted rookie Kahlil Benson can hold up in pass protection for Patrick Mahomes. That vote of confidence matters, because the other headline out of Kansas City is a good one: Mahomes has recovered well enough from last year's torn ACL to start on Monday night.

So the Chiefs go into their Monday opener with their franchise quarterback cleared to play and their coach publicly leaning on an unproven lineman to keep him upright.

The survivor-pick angle

Mahomes starting is the news survivor players wanted — a healthy QB1 back from a serious knee injury removes the biggest question mark hanging over Kansas City. That's the case for keeping the Chiefs in your plans this week.

The caution flag is the protection. An undrafted rookie earning a vote of confidence is still an untested rookie, and a coach reassuring the public about pass protection is a tell that it's a talking point at all. Reid's confidence isn't the same as a proven track record, and a quarterback coming off a torn ACL is exactly the player you don't want taking early hits. If you're leaning Chiefs, treat Benson's performance as the swing factor and weigh it against the strength of the opponent before you lock in a safe survivor pick. New to the format? Start with how survivor pools work or start a free survivor pool to put this week's read to use.