This upcoming 2014 NFL season, a wide variety of relatively unheralded sophomore and third year players will inherit or take over key roles for even the best teams in the NFL. Whether it’s an already-established starter that will now be assuming more responsibility, or a green, untested player that will now look to become a reliable backup, every roster depth chart has a few big question marks.
Eric Fisher, Knile Davis and 5 more Chiefs set to lead in 2014
The Chiefs bounced back from a rough season with 11 wins and a trip to playoffs in 2013. If Andy Reid’s team is going to do it again, they’ll need big contributions from these up and coming players.
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
In this series, I’ve been breaking down “who” I think those players are, “where” they play, “why” they’ll potentially play a key role in 2014, and “how” they’ll succeed in that.
On tap today, we have the Kansas City Chiefs.
Kansas City Chiefs
LT Eric Fisher
Who: The first overall pick of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Chiefs, Fisher hails from Central Michigan and faced some struggles during his first season in the NFL. He played right tackle, a change from his left tackle spot in college, and making the jump from a small school to the NFL is no easy task. Pro Football Focus graded his first season at a -21.5; he got a -17.2 pass protection grade and a -3.8 run blocking grade. This was obviously not the start the Chiefs had hoped for, but there were signs of progression along the way that hopes are still high.
Where: With Brandon Albert leaving in free agency, it’s assumed that Fisher will take over the job at left tackle. This is his natural position -- the spot he played in college -- so the hope is that he’ll make a huge jump in 2014 as he gets back into his comfort zone.
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Why: There is much to be expected when you’re selected first overall, so there’s quite a heavy weight on Fisher’s shoulders. That said, it’s been reported that Fisher has gained some good weight over the offseason and the time off has given him a great chance to get in the film room and learn from his rookie mistakes. There’s always a steep learning curve in a rookie season, and the experienced gained could make a huge difference this year.
How: Athleticism isn’t really an issue, but the mental aspect of the game takes time. He’ll need to have a better grasp of what he’s looking at with respect to the defense, he’ll have to clean up his footwork, improve reaction time, and having the playbook down pat will take some of the thinking out of the equation.
LB Nico Johnson
Who: Johnson was a fourth-round pick last year by the Chiefs, #99 overall. He didn’t play much his rookie season, logging only 17 snaps on defense, instead mostly contributing as a special teamer.
Where: Inside linebacker next to Derrick Brooks. With the departure of free agent Akeem Jordan, there's an open spot in the starting lineup. The Chiefs are hoping their fourth rounder from a year ago will step up.
Why: Johnson suffered an ankle injury during the preseason last year which derailed his development a little bit. He got most of his playing time in Week 17 while the Chiefs rested starters in preparation for the playoffs, but that experience should be invaluable as he looks to win a starting job in 2014. He's coming into camp healthy this season, but will have to beat out free agent Joe Mays for playing time.
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How: Play fast, react, and follow Derrick Johnson’s lead.
RB Knile Davis
Who: Davis was a third-round pick out of Arkansas in 2013, 96th overall. He had 70 carries his rookie year, including 27 in Week 17 while the Chiefs rested starters then 18 in their Wildcard Playoff game, and averaged 3.5 yards per carry. However, he broke his leg in that Playoffs game, so will need to prove his injury is fully healed going into this season.
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Where: Backing up Jamaal Charles, one of the most prolific offensive weapons in the NFL.
Why: Charles had 339 touches last year (259 carries, 70 receptions). This is probably more than the team genuinely wants from their superstar, with the thought in mind to keep him fresher later in the year and avoid injuries, not to mention prolong his career. That’s where Davis comes in this season.
“Knile was a rookie and he was learning every week and getting better every week. As the season went on we were able to give him the ball a little bit more. Coming into this season we’ll be able to mix it up a little bit better than what we did early in the season last year.”
How: Keep building on his rookie year experience. Ball security, provide a spark of energy and production off the bench so the Chiefs can give Charles more rest.
TE Travis Kelce
Who: Kelce was a third-round pick by the Chiefs in 2013, out of Cincinnati. He's the younger brother of Eagles' center Jason Kelce. The rookie was a sensation during camps and OTAs last year but knee injuries limited him to only one snap in his rookie season.
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Where: Kelce will vie with Anthony Fasano for the starter's job at tight end. He has the potential to be a very strong blocking tight end for the Chiefs, but also showcased the ability to get downfield in a hurry as a receiver while at Cincinatti.
Why: The Chiefs were riddled with injuries at the tight end position in 2013. After Kelce went out with his knee injury, veteran starter Anthony Fasano missed eight games due to injuries. This meant the Chiefs were relying on a rotation of Kevin Brock, Dominique Jones, Richard Gordon and Sean McGrath to fill in. Kelce will have a great chance to showcase his surprising athleticism at 6'5, 260 pounds while looking to take some snaps from Fasano.
How: Staying healthy is the number one thing. Kelce will find his way onto the field if he’s able to get back up to full speed prior to the start of the season.
S/CB Sanders Commings
Who: Commings was a fifth-rounder out of Georgia in 2013, 134 overall. He broke his collarbone on the first day of rookie camp in 2013, which stunted his ability to contribute as a rookie. He only played in one game, then spent the rest of the year on the injured reserve.
Where: Commings was a cornerback in college and at first projected there in the pros. However, he’s going to be getting some looks at the safety position as well this year, with GM John Dorsey noting that one reason the Chiefs drafted him was that they “thought he fit that positional skill.”
Why: Brandon Flowers was recently released, meaning there's an opening at that position, and the free safety spot is still up for grabs. This means Commings will have a shot, likely, at both spots, not to mention challenge for a role in the nickel and dime packages. His physical makeup -- size and speed at 6'0, 220 pounds or so -- is ideally suited as a hybrid inside-outside type of player that the Chiefs can use in a variety of roles.
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How: Like Kelce, the first thing that Commings must do is prove he can get and stay healthy in 2014. From there, it’s just a matter of continuing to show he can make plays on the football and ballhawk without getting burnt.
Who: Allen was a second-round pick out of Illinois in 2012. The left guard has started 27 of the 31 games he’s appeared in, but struggled at times last year. He’ll look to make his third season his best yet.
Where: Left guard.
Why: Allen enlisted the help of former NFL lineman LeCharles Bentley and the L. Bentley O-Line Academy this offseason, a move that he hopes will pay dividends. “Individually, I knew I wasn’t where I wanted to be [last year],” Allen told the Kansas City Star. “So I decided to do something about it.”
“[Bentley] watches [your] film,” notes Allen. “He takes you through a functional moving test, sees what your weaknesses are, sees if you’ve got any joints that are weak, any knees, ankles, whatever. You see chiropractors, you see a ton of specialists.” Allen has credited his work with Bentley as a reason he’s up to a better 315 pounds this year, and he’s ready to maul in 2014. That would be a big deal for the Chiefs, especially considering he’ll be right next to another potential breakout player in Eric Fisher.
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How: As Arrowhead Pride’s Nick Jacobs points out, “Allen needed to work on removing some of the layers to help his bend. The removal of layers would also enhance his hip explosion in getting to the second level and pulling on plays. He also needed to enhance his strength for run blocking and his punch in pass pro sets.” The Chiefs will be hoping an offseason on Bentley’s nutrition and weight-lifting plan will help with all this.
Who: Stephenson was a third-round pick in 2012 out of Oklahoma. He has started seven games in each of the past two seasons, has been a capable backup swing tackle. He stepped in at both tackle spots for Branden Albert and Eric Fisher when both went down with various injuries last year.
Where: He will look to lock down that starter’s spot at right tackle now that Albert is gone and Fisher is moving to the left.
Why: Like Allen, Stephenson spent his offseason training with LeCharles Bentley's outfit and he'll be hoping that pushes him to a new level of performance. He's currently projected as the starter so his could be a name you hear more often in 2014.
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How: Finish and tenacity in the run game.
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