Khalil Mack will be entering his ninth season in the NFL and is hoping a return to the AFC West division will get him back on track as an elite pass rusher. He played four seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders before they traded him to the Chicago Bears where he also spent four seasons. After what was considered regression with the Bears, they also traded Mack away. He makes his triumphant return to the AFC West but this time around it’s with the Los Angeles Chargers. What does this mean for Mack, the Chargers, and fantasy managers? Let's take a look.
Reflecting on the Past
Khalil Mack was selected by the Oakland Raiders with the 5th overall pick of the 2014 NFL draft. In his four seasons with the team, he played in and started all 64 games for Oakland. Mack produced 304 tackles, 231 being solos, 68 TFLs, 40½ sacks, 84 QB hits, nine forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, one interception, eleven PBUs, and two defensive TDs. As one of the most feared pass rushers in the league, he earned three Pro-Bowls, three All-Pros, and Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2016. Mack left the franchise ranked 11th on their career sack list and 1st in TFLs (became an official stat in 2008) and QB hits (became an official stat in 2006). The Raiders would trade Mack plus 2nd & 5th round picks (2020) in return for two 1st round picks (19’ & 20’), a 3rd (2020), and a 6th (2019).
The change of scenery to Chicago didn’t quite work out as planned but it wasn’t horrible by any means. In Mack’s three and a half seasons (missed half of 2021 with injury) with the Bears, he played in 53 games, while starting 52 of those contests. During that time Mack recorded 163 tackles, 121 being solos, 35 TFLs, 36 sacks, 52 QB hits, 14 forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, one interception, 11 PBUs, one safety, and one defensive TD. He would earn three Pro-Bowls, two All-Pro, and runner-up for what would have been his second Defensive Player of the Year. In just a short time in Chicago, Mack made an impact and leaves ranked in the franchise’s top 25 in sacks (17th), TFLs (10th), QB hits, and forced fumbles (5th).
Looking Ahead to the Future
With his return to the AFC West, the Chargers are hoping to get a revitalized and motivated Khalil Mack, and if that’s the case, the rest of the NFL has been put on official notice. There was a clear emphasis by the AFC West teams to upgrade their pass rush and the Chargers made sure they weren’t left out. Mack brings with him a resume of 467 tackles, 103 TFLs, 76½ sacks, 136 QB hits, and 23 forced fumbles. The Chargers will pair Mack with Joey Bosa (58 sacks) as their bookend pass rushers. With the young guns Patrick Mahomes and David Carr along with the star veteran Russell Wilson manning the quarterback position for the division rivals, it made sense for the Chargers to add another stud pass rusher.
As players get older, they tend to lose a step or begin to just miss on plays, but as Mack has gotten older (age 31) he has been able to cut down on his missed tackle rate from 11.3% in 2019 to 0% thru seven games last year. While the overall number of missed tackles we’re talking about is small, it’s a good sign that he still has more left in the tank. Despite playing just seven games last year, Mack had a five-game stretch with at least one or more sacks, a feat he last accomplished in 2017. When Mack is right and healthy there isn’t a better pass rusher in the league.
Fantasy Outlook
If you are looking for pass rush help at the defensive end position, now is the perfect time to add Mack to your IDP portfolios. Mack’s fantasy value had been trending down before being traded, so invest in him before it begins to trend back up. He’s going for a fraction of the price that he was when he played in Oakland. A new change of scenery has sparked a rebound in his value for fantasy managers, so make that investment now, while the return is still a potential maximum. Mack was having a terrific start to the 2021 season before shutting it down for the season, so it’s not like he is losing a step or anything.
In redraft leagues, there isn’t a ton of change in his value because you are playing it year to year, but in dynasty, his stock is back up on the upswing and I believe he returns to the Mack of old. Keep in mind that this is based on him being a DE in your fantasy leagues. If he’s designated as a linebacker, then the conversation changes as his value drops due to the position designation. Mack still retains some value as a LB but not anywhere close to his value as a DE. What this means is that in true position-specific leagues his value is a premium.
Thanks for reading my article. I am a member of the FSWA (Fantasy Sports Writers of America). Follow me on Twitter at @HollywoodTitan, on Facebook on my IDPNation page, on Reddit in the fantasy football IDP sub — I’m user KingTitan1 — and tune in each week and listen to IDP Nation and Devy IDP Grind, the podcasts that I co-host, on several different platforms. Feel free to email or dm me with any questions that you have, as I’m always glad to help fellow IDPers. #IDPNation #IDP #IDPDevy.
