The Kansas City Chiefs have very little to play for in Week 18, long since being eliminated from the playoff field and losing both of their first two options at quarterback. Still, there is a bit of intrigue with Travis Kelce potentially playing his final game and Kansas City's draft position still in question. With the franchise having no shortage of needs, and the game not mattering, it is easy to hope for a season-ending loss that would give the Chiefs a chance to land a top-ten pick. However, this is going to be easier said than done after the latest news.
NFL Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith suffered an ankle sprain that will keep him out of the season's final game. This forces Kenny Pickett into the starting lineup, who was 15/25 for 64 yards and an interception in his lone start of the season. This obviously doesn't bode well for the Chiefs' hopes of finding a way a bit higher in the draft order.
This was pointed out by KC Draft Network's Kent Swanson, who offered, "If all the lines hold true next week (and the ones most relevant to the Chiefs should be pretty chalk), the Chiefs would be picking 11th." While this is still a great chance to land an impact player, there is no denying it would be ideal for the Chiefs to sneak into the top 10.
The chance of that happening, in fact, got a boost following the Atlanta Falcons' win over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 17. There are several scenarios in place, but the Chiefs can pick as high as 8th and as low as 12th.
Chiefs Hopes of Landing Top 10 Draft Pick Take Major Hit After Raiders Quarterback Change
However, no team in the league has been more efficient when it comes to tanking than the Raiders throughout the 2025 season. After letting go of the rope after a rough opening month, the franchise sits at 2-14 on the season and appears destined for the first overall pick in the draft. While guys are going to be playing out the season, it is obvious this is a group that understands its limitations.
Heading into Week 17, the front office and coaching staff opted to shut down star pass rusher Maxx Crosby for the remainder of the season. All of this makes it incredibly difficult to see Kansas City finding a way to lose even without Patrick Mahomes or Gardner Minshew in the starting lineup.
The biggest factor is the talent of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who is unlikely to let his foot off the gas. This is a great chance to attack an underwhelming quarterback and allow your defenders to pad their numbers a bit heading into the offseason.
While fans would love to see the Chiefs pushed inside the top 10 in what is a talented class, it appears next to impossible. The Raiders are simply too sorry a franchise to find a way to win the season's final game, even if the Chiefs are a quarterback further down their depth chart. With this in mind, at least KC appears poised to send Kelce into a potential retirement in winning fashion.