Patrick Mahomes Says His Knee 'Feels Great' — But He's Still Fighting His Own Instincts
Eight months after tearing his ACL and LCL, Mahomes is scrambling and cutting again in camp. Good news for a QB9 who slipped 6.3 points late last year.
Movement is back and the ACL is cleared — grab him before the hype returns.
- Tore ACL and LCL in left knee on Dec. 14
- 2025: 3,587 pass yds, 22 TD, 0 INT in 14 games
- Added 422 rush yds, 5 rush TD on the ground
- Our QB9, 304 PPR pts in 2025
- Cooled off: -6.3 fantasy pts over final 5 games
The most important knee in fantasy football is moving again. Patrick Mahomes, roughly eight months removed from a December 14 tear of the ACL and LCL in his left knee, told reporters Friday that the joint feels great — and that when he's tired or locked in, he barely thinks about it. For a quarterback who finished 2025 as our QB9 with 304 PPR points across 14 games, that's the update managers wanted.
The proof came on the field, not the podium. During Friday's 11-on-11 work, Mahomes scrambled toward the right sideline on a fourth down, cut back, and flipped an underhand lateral that turned into a fumble the defense recovered. Ugly rep, encouraging sign. He said he's trying to hold himself back but that the competitor in him takes over — he forgets the knee is even a concern and just plays.
Why The Movement Matters
Mahomes has never been a statue. His value is built on the left-right-left dance behind the line, the extended plays, the throws off platform. Every one of those cuts loads the knee he just rebuilt. So watching him improvise and re-plant in August tells us more than any quote could. He said he wants to stay smart and available for his teammates, but he's not going to lose who he is — and who he is, is exactly what fantasy managers pay for.
There's a wrinkle worth flagging. Kansas City added Kenneth Walker III, who ran for 1,027 yards and five scores across 17 games in 2025 (our RB22, 192 PPR points). A real backfield could mean the Chiefs lean run more often, trimming Mahomes' pass volume in scripted situations. His 422 rushing yards and five rushing TDs last season were a big chunk of his ceiling, so how much the coaching staff lets him run early matters.
The Fantasy Fallout
Temper the raw counting stats too. Mahomes averaged 6.3 fewer fantasy points per game over his final five 2025 outings than his season average — a cold stretch that predates the injury entirely. Between the late-season dip, the surgery, and a possible run-heavier script, expect a slightly muted floor to open the year.
Verdict: buy low. If a nervous manager in your league is discounting Mahomes over the knee, this is your window — the ACL is cleared, the mobility is visibly back, and he was still a top-nine QB while playing hurt down the stretch. Draft him with confidence and monitor Week 1 for how freely he scrambles. If he's improvising like the old Mahomes, the QB1 ceiling is right there.
