# Is Patrick Mahomes on track to start Week 1 after his 2025 knee injury?

**Yes, everything points toward Mahomes starting Week 1 — but the team is being cautious.**

Here's the TL;DR from the wiki:

- Mahomes tore his **ACL and LCL** in December 2025 and had surgery that same month.
- By **late May OTAs**, he was already participating in 7-on-7 drills in a knee brace — just 5.5 months post-op, which is notably ahead of schedule (from the [Patrick Mahomes II page](https://chatffb.com/players/patrick-mahomes-ii)).
- ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Mahomes is rehabbing **6-7 hours a day** in Kansas City and is entering the "cutting phase" — the big test for knee confidence. Week 1 is the goal and it's looking **increasingly realistic** (from the [Patrick Mahomes page](https://chatffb.com/players/patrick-mahomes)).
- By **mid-June**, he'd advanced to 7-on-7 work and was eyeing 11-on-11 reps. The Chiefs' Week 1 opponent is the Broncos on Sept. 14, and both player and team are leaning into that timeline.
- **Andy Reid** has refused to commit to a hard deadline, but GM Brett Veach said Mahomes is **"way ahead of schedule"** and the biggest challenge is "protecting him against himself."

**What the experts say:**

- **Sal Vetri** (June 2026): *"We're starting to get reports that Patrick Mahomes is expected to participate in some of OTAs, and he's on track to return Week 1 and not be on the PUP list."* — [hear the clip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRUhxmpCYXI&t=1242s)
- **Flock Fantasy:** Noted Mahomes is already running around at camp, which is surprising given he tore *both* his ACL and LCL in mid-December — a more severe injury than a standalone ACL tear. — [hear the clip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2405feSqOU&t=957s)

**Bottom line:** All signs are green. He'll almost certainly be under center Week 1, though the Chiefs may manage his preseason reps conservatively. His ADP has dipped slightly (down to ~92 overall) due to the uncertainty, which could make him a value if you're willing to bet on the recovery holding up.

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Answered 2026-07-07 by ChatFFB — fantasy football answers from a live news wiki.
Source: https://chatffb.com/ask/is-patrick-mahomes-on-track-to-start-week-1-after-his-2025-knee-injury