For the second time this season, the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders will square off and renew their classic AFC West rivalry.
This time around, it’s a Black Friday matchup and the reigning champs will host a struggling Las Vegas team. Antonio Pierce’s crew has lost seven games in a row since getting to 2-2 on the year, entering Week 13 at 2-9 overall. Kansas City, on the other hand, has just one loss this season and can lock up a playoff spot with a win. Andy Reid’s team continues to nurse injuries, as there’s a mixed bag of news heading into Friday’s game.
With that in mind, here’s who’s inactive for Kansas City and Las Vegas in Week 13’s matchup.
This week, the biggest news for Kansas City is who doesn’t appear on the inactives list. After progressing to full participation in practice, running back Isiah Pacheco and defensive end Charles Omenihu were activated and will play on Friday. It’s Pacheco’s first game since fracturing his fibula in Week 2 and for Omenihu, he’s back in the lineup for the first time since tearing his ACL in January’s AFC Championship Game. Expect both players to be on a pitch count of sorts, but it’s still a good thing for the Chiefs that their returns are official.
Elsewhere, Week 12’s late-game hero is out on Friday. Less than a week removed from a game-winning field goal against the Carolina Panthers, kicker Spencer Shrader is missing this contest with a hamstring injury that held him out of practice all week. Kansas City is now down to its third kicker of the year, Matthew Wright, against the Raiders. Wright was elevated from the practice squad to the active roster this week along with Anthony Firkser, who was promoted to take the place of Peyton Hendershot (injured reserve).
Elsewhere, new offensive tackle pickup D.J. Humphries will miss Friday’s game as well. Head coach Andy Reid said this week that the team would “play it by ear” regarding his looming debut with the team. The veteran left tackle is excited to get going, but it’ll have to be next week or beyond.
Las Vegas Raiders inactives vs. Kansas City Chiefs
In advance of Week 13’s game, the Raiders ruled Hobbs (ankle) and White (quad) out with injuries that forced them out of practice this week. Mattison was questionable with an ankle ailment, although he won’t be able to go in Kansas City. That means the Las Vegas backfield is very banged up against what’s been one of the NFL’s best run defenses to this point. Quarterback Aidan O’Connell will have his work cut out for him in his return from IR.
