Kansas City Chiefs activate DB Tyrann Mathieu from COVID-19 list

The Kansas City Chiefs are activating star defensive back Tyrann Mathieu off of the COVID-19/reserve just in time for their Week 1 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.

The Chiefs activated DB Tyrann Mathieu from COVID/reserve.

— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) September 11, 2021

Mathieu is listed as questionable (non-injury related/illness) to play Sunday after he missed practice this week following a positive COVID test on Sept. 1.

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NFL IMPACT

Mathieu's versatility boosts Chiefs defense: Mathieu is a versatile player, as he played 501 snaps at free safety, 803 in the box, 992 in the slot and 158 on the line in 2020, which unlocks defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's scheme. Click here to find PFF's NFL premium stats.

Tyrann Mathieu's Three-Year PFF Grades (Including Playoffs)

Season	PFF Overall Grade	PFF Run-Defense Grade	PFF Coverage Grade
2020	67.0	75.9	63.1
2019	75.4	59.9	82.0
2018	75.3	84.8	70.6

Not your average safety: Mathieu ranks ninth among safety in PFF's WAR — .73 WAR in 2019 and 2020 — since joining the Chiefs. He also posted the fourth-most total pressures (24) over the last two seasons (including playoffs) among safeties. Click here to find PFF's safety rankings.

FANTASY FOOTBALL IMPACT

Mathieu's presence hurts Odell Beckham Jr.: Getting the Chiefs starting safety back will make it tougher for Baker Mayfield and OBJ to connect on deep-balls downfield. Click here to find PFF's WR/CB matchup chart.

Tougher sledding for Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt: Mathieu's presence should boost Kansas City's run defense against Cleveland's RB duo. In 2020, Mathieu boasted a 75.9 run-defense grade (including playoffs). Click here to find PFF's 2021 fantasy projections.

PFF's 2021 Fantasy Football Draft Kit includes links to every article, tool and chart to best prepare you for your fantasy football draft. This will be updated regularly between now and Week 1 of the 2021 NFL season.

BETTING IMPACT

Chiefs spread on the move: Kansas City has slipped a point to a -5.5 favorite despite 68% of the cash and 67% of the tickets on the Chiefs. The move down could reflect some hesitation due to Mathieu's status. Now that it's resolved, the Chiefs appear to be the preferred side on the spread. PFF Greenline also has a lean on the total. PFF's Betting Futures Tool reveals betting opportunities within season win total and future markets.