Albert Wilson is built like a running back, but he’s the wide receiver the Chiefs need

The more film I watched of Chiefs wide receiver Albert Wilson, the more I grew to like his game. The guy is only 5’9 in an era when it seems like you have to be at least 6’0 to play the position. And he’s built more like a running back than a wide receiver at 200 pounds. Yet, Wilson just competes, man.

I’m pretty sure Wilson was the best blocking wide receiver on the Chiefs last year too. It didn’t matter who was lined up across from him or how much size he was giving up, Wilson would put it on them and try his damndest to keep them from making the play. He was pretty successful at it too.

I watch so much film of receivers and defensive backs doing the whole “brother-in-law” thing where one half ass blocks and the other doesn’t try all that hard to get off said half ass block, so to see Wilson going hard damn near every play was quite refreshing. I don’t think it won him many fans on the other side of the ball, however.

With Wilson not seeing a whole bunch of targets in the passing game, I’m sure he felt like he had to go hard all the time as a blocker to see the field. Other guys probably had the same thoughts, but I didn’t see them putting in the same kind of work on the field. His effort wasn’t just “good for a small guy;” it was outstanding, period.

Let me acknowledge that receivers are paid to catch the football. While the blocking stuff is cool, a receiver has to make an impact in the passing game. Wilson caught 35 balls and had three touchdowns last season. For a guy who started 12 of the 14 games he played last season, that’s pretty mediocre.

As I watched him play I came away asking why didn’t Wilson see more targets? Yeah, he isn’t the tallest guy around, but the guy is pretty good in space now and he has some decent run-after-the-catch skills as well. But it didn’t seem like the Chiefs made much of an effort to get him the ball in space on a regular basis.

Wilson also had catches that went for 44, 42, 40 and 27 yards last season, so given the opportunity he showed he could make big plays as well. He still seemed like mostly an afterthought in the passing game. It just didn’t make a lot of sense to me.

Now I know that Albert Wilson will have a lot more competition at the position this year. It’s not guaranteed that he will be a starter this season. But not only do I think he will win the job again, I expect the Chiefs will do a better job of actually getting him the ball this year.

With more opportunities I expect his numbers to go way up, particularly touchdowns, because that kid knows how to make it happen with the ball in his hands.