Chiefs active TE Jody Fortson from IR for AFC title game

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs activated tight end Jody Fortson from injured reserve and raised wide receivers Marcus Kemp and Ihmir Smith-Marsette from the practice team for Sunday night’s AFC title game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The move to activate Fortson on Saturday was widely expected after the big, sweeping red-zone threat showed no lingering problems from his elbow injury in practice this week. Fortson has not played against the Texans since December 18.

He filled a roster spot that was already available after the Chiefs relinquished cornerback Chris Lammons.

The decision to raise Kemp and Smith-Marsette gives the Chiefs some reassurance at wide receiver. Justin Watson was questionable in the latest injury report with an illness, while speedster Mecole Hardman was struggling with a pelvic injury that put him on IR and has kept him out of the line-up since November 6 against the Titans.

When asked if Hardman could play this week, Chiefs coach Andy Reid replied, “Listen, he’s worked his tail off. I think he’s feeling better than last week so we’ll see how he goes.”

The Chiefs have not activated Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who is due to return like IR’s Fortson and has spent the last few weeks in practice. The running back has not played since Nov. 20, and even then had lost time to Isiah Pacheco, who was selected in the seventh round and will play his 13th straight game against Cincinnati.

Pacheco ran 12 times for 95 yards in the Chiefs’ 27-20 win over Jacksonville last week.

Kansas City is hosting the AFC title game for the fifth straight year, and it’s a repeat of last year’s championship game when Patrick Mahomes and co. lost an early 21-3 loss in overtime 27-24 to the Bengals.

Mahomes has been in full training this week after spraining his right ankle against the Jaguars. He didn’t carry an injury designation in Friday’s final report, however, and the Chiefs expect Mahomes to start as usual.

“I think I’ve gotten better and better as the week has gone on and I’ll just try to keep doing that,” he said. “Keep the same mentality and push it, but at the same time be ready to go whenever the game comes up.”

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