A team I feel that folks are overlooking (1 Viewer)

[Ministry of Pain]

There are so many good articles and threads between the subscriber content and the SP that I find myself just wanting to read most of the time rather than engage or fire up a bunch of threads outside of voter polls which I find useful in getting public opinion on things. I really can't argue against taking one of the consensus top5 RBs, top5 QBs, they all seem to make sense. I know they won't finish as we project them all out but on paper they seem the most logical. So that being the case I find myself looking past that to what will likely be the difference between making a strong run or just having an average team and that's the gold you have to find in later rounds or guys that will way out perform their current ADP. If you can find those type of players it makes the draft feel like a walk in the park. Sure you can't have Chris Johnson because you don't have the #1 pick but you can target other players and simply scoop them up a round early if need be to find the gold.

I have a lot of players I like later but I wanted to talk about an overall team that I was high on last year but perhaps was a year early. I'm hoping that they start to come into their own a little more this season and they have enlisted the help of some really good assistants which we will discuss. I'm talking about the Kansas City Chiefs and I want to go thru their skill position players and why I think so many are missing the boat.

1. Coaching: They hire Charlie Weiss and Romeo Crennel to help out HC Haley and I think the tone has been set. If Haley doesn't get them playing better they probably will make Weiss the HC if all else fails. It will push Haley who could feel a little intimidated with that type pf coaching behind him. He certainly is going to do the best job that he is capable of meaning these 2 assistants are going to push him to be a better HC, that's my opinion but we are going to see the best Haley has to offer.

I'm gonna start with Crennel and move to Weiss in a second. Romeo is a great coach and a master of the 3-4. He did it very well in New England and both he and Weiss have 3 rings from their days in New England. The addition of Eric Berry is going to make this defense better, a lot better. They spent some big picks along that DL, and I think Romeo will coach them up and get the most out of them. A stronger defense is going to help the offense out a lot and it's something you should always think about IMO...if the defense can't get off the field then your players on the offense are sitting on the sidelines and it limits their effectiveness and number of offensive snaps which is not good.

Something a good friend mentioned to me and I wanted to share was that Charlie Weiss has an interesting track record. Yes he helps offenses out but one of the key things he does is make WRs a lot better. Look what he did in New England with very little talent to work with. Was Deion Branch ever really that good? Troy Brown, David Patten, not really HoF type WRs but he got the most out of them. He did the same thing in

with guys like Golden Tate who we'll see if he was truly a talent or not. And so I look at Dwayne Bowe who was in the dog house last year and has fallen down the ranks a bit. Coaching can be very important and I cannot dismiss what these 2 assistant coaches bring to the table. 2. Jamaal Charles: Guy did incredible things last season in a short time span and on a limited number of touches although they allowed him to touch the ball a lot down the stretch. If he gets 15 carries a game plus 2-3 receptions you are going to be very happy snagging this guy in the 3rd, he bounces all around in there. The OL is not great but he seemed to find the holes last year and they certainly are not worse than last year. Ryan Lilja who was arguably the best run blocker that Indy had last season has come over and will help the inside running game especially the right side A gap. If Charles picks up where he left off you might have a potential top 6 back on your hands. The upside is there.

3. Thomas Jones: His ADP is all over the place. I see him go pretty late in some drafts and then not as late as I would like in others. Reports out of camp are that he is as fast and quick as ever...that's great but he wore down in New York and at this stage and age he is likely to wear down again unless the Chiefs stick to using him on 3rd and short situations and in and around the goal line. I understand Charles' owners will not like this and no doubt TJ is going to get some carries in scoring oppurtunities but his age is a concern and while we used to say he doesn't have the normal tread of a guy his age...he's been used a lot the past 4-5 years and made up for lost time. He's good insurance of you take Charles in the 3rd.

4. Dwayne Bowe: This guy was being talked about as top5 last year. That was a little much but he is looking all world at camp to this point. I really think Haley was trying to break him down and the arrival of Charlie Weiss is going to help this kid out a lot. He has the potential to post 1,200/10Tds don't kid yourself. We've seen him do well with poor QB play even. I'm going to talk about Cassel in a minute but I see good things for Bowe and he has a nice compliment in Chambers on the other side and the arrival of McCluster in the slot, he should get open a lot. For a 5th-6th round grab, he could be an excellent WR2 if you waited to start grabbing them or a deadly WR3 if you load up early on WRs. It's all about where and how guys fit your teams. Last year folks were drafting him as their WR1 then waiting till round 7 or 8 before they grabbed another WR, not so good.

5. Chris Chambers: I love him and have scooped him up in the 11th round or later in almost all my leagues. Guy was awesome when he got to KC last year and he has Bowe lining up opposite him. At best he will match up against the 2nd best DB from most defenses, he should be open all the time. He can be streaky but he is an excellent bye week filler for your roster and for some he will be a starter more often than you would like to think. I like him and his value even better than Bowe but I understand CC is not for everyone.

6. Matt Cassel: A lot of people have left his bandwagon and tossed dirt on this guy. He had a rookie HC last year, poor OL play, a disgruntled RB to start the season who also was in and out of trouble, his WR1 was in and out of trouble, no defense to bail him out...I'm not ready to write him off and Scott Piola worked too hard to bring him over for me to assume he doesn't have the skills. If he lays an egg this season I will start to worry more but I see KC as a team on the rise and I believe Cassel will show up and do much better this year. He has more to work with at WR, a good solid ground game under him, better coaches surrounding him, and a defense that hopefully can set up some short fields for him to operate under. At QB21 or whatever off the board I am a fan. I like him as a bye week filler after you lock up one of the top6 or 7 QBs. Interesting stat on Cassel, he had 6 multiple TD games last year, he could really surprise some owners this season.

So one of the teams I like as a dark horse in their division is the Kansas City Chiefs. Their schedule is not candy by any stretch to start but look after about week 5 or 6 and they have the following...

@Hou, JAX, BUF, @Oak, @Den, AZ, @Sea, DEN, and then the playoffs look like this... @SD, @St.L, TN, OAK

I think there is definitely some gold to be had on this team and certainly a group of players to keep and eye on in drafts to see when they hit the value stage.

Your thoughts and input are welcome and appreicated, thanks.

 

[WVU Alum]

I appreciate the write-up. That said, I think you are off your rocker.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

I appreciate the write-up. That said, I think you are off your rocker.

Get the rocking chair ready, time to send MOP out to pasture

 

[Fodasme69]

I appreciate the write-up. That said, I think you are off your rocker.

you would have said the same thing if MOP had this post last year but replace KC Chiefs with Cincy (finished with a 4-11-1 record in 08); or Atlanta 2 years ago (4-12 to 11-5).I'm just saying!

 

[Jason Wood]

Other than you're insistence on misspelling the OC's name, I enjoyed the analysis Sean

 

[Creed Bratton]

There are so many good articles and threads between the subscriber content and the SP that I find myself just wanting to read most of the time rather than engage or fire up a bunch of threads outside of voter polls which I find useful in getting public opinion on things. I really can't argue against taking one of the consensus top5 RBs, top5 QBs, they all seem to make sense. I know they won't finish as we project them all out but on paper they seem the most logical. So that being the case I find myself looking past that to what will likely be the difference between making a strong run or just having an average team and that's the gold you have to find in later rounds or guys that will way out perform their current ADP. If you can find those type of players it makes the draft feel like a walk in the park. Sure you can't have Chris Johnson because you don't have the #1 pick but you can target other players and simply scoop them up a round early if need be to find the gold.

I have a lot of players I like later but I wanted to talk about an overall team that I was high on last year but perhaps was a year early. I'm hoping that they start to come into their own a little more this season and they have enlisted the help of some really good assistants which we will discuss. I'm talking about the Kansas City Chiefs and I want to go thru their skill position players and why I think so many are missing the boat.

1. Coaching: They hire Charlie Weiss and Romeo Crennel to help out HC Haley and I think the tone has been set. If Haley doesn't get them playing better they probably will make Weiss the HC if all else fails. It will push Haley who could feel a little intimidated with that type pf coaching behind him. He certainly is going to do the best job that he is capable of meaning these 2 assistants are going to push him to be a better HC, that's my opinion but we are going to see the best Haley has to offer.

I'm gonna start with Crennel and move to Weiss in a second. Romeo is a great coach and a master of the 3-4. He did it very well in New England and both he and Weiss have 3 rings from their days in New England. The addition of Eric Berry is going to make this defense better, a lot better. They spent some big picks along that DL, and I think Romeo will coach them up and get the most out of them. A stronger defense is going to help the offense out a lot and it's something you should always think about IMO...if the defense can't get off the field then your players on the offense are sitting on the sidelines and it limits their effectiveness and number of offensive snaps which is not good.

Something a good friend mentioned to me and I wanted to share was that Charlie Weiss has an interesting track record. Yes he helps offenses out but one of the key things he does is make WRs a lot better. Look what he did in New England with very little talent to work with. Was Deion Branch ever really that good? Troy Brown, David Patten, not really HoF type WRs but he got the most out of them. He did the same thing in

That's a pretty good writeup. The only thing that I would add is that they did add Moeaki and McCluster to the offense as well. It remains to be seen what they will actually do but the targets that Cassel has to throw to this season should be massively improved from last year. I think I've said this elsewhere, but I'll be shocked if they're anywhere near as bad as they were last season(barring injury).

 

[Maroney=Speed]

Agree.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Other than you're insistence on misspelling the OC's name, I enjoyed the analysis Sean

I was reading your "overvalue" of Matt Cassel and got movitvated.

 

[QuizGuy66]

In a different division, I might think you were crazy, but San Diego seems a bit iffy and beyond them it's a crap-shoot so why not give the Chiefs a little speculative love? The question I have is how do they look on the O-line and D-line? One reason the Bengals improved so much last year was the surprising ability of the O-line to come together and play cohesively, even in the face of many changes and with a draft pick that was more interested in eating waffles than administering pancakes. If they are to make the move up, that's where it's gotta start. The skill position guys won't be able to break out without the line coming together.

for the thoughtful analysis.

-QG

 

[Jason Wood]

Other than you're insistence on misspelling the OC's name, I enjoyed the analysis Sean

I was reading your "overvalue" of Matt Cassel and got movitvated.

I think the fly in the ointment for your analysis is Cassel frankly. I think he's not up to the task and, ergo, the Chiefs will be set to make an impact when (if?) they find a new signal caller.

 

[bigmiiiiike]

The surprise team in the AFC West is going to be the Raiders. From a fantasy perspective though, I agree with you that many of the Chiefs' players are flying below the radar.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

The surprise team in the AFC West is going to be the Raiders. From a fantasy perspective though, I agree with you that many of the Chiefs' players are flying below the radar.

Their starting Offesive Tackles are the worst in football but I agree that they will improve this year. 8-8 perhaps

 

[WVU Alum]

The surprise team in the AFC West is going to be the Raiders. From a fantasy perspective though, I agree with you that many of the Chiefs' players are flying below the radar.

Their starting Offesive Tackles are the worst in football but I agree that they will improve this year. 8-8 perhaps

8-8 in the AFC W is looking more and more likely to get a playoff spot. Sadly.

 

[Ray_T]

There are so many good articles and threads between the subscriber content and the SP that I find myself just wanting to read most of the time rather than engage or fire up a bunch of threads outside of voter polls which I find useful in getting public opinion on things. I really can't argue against taking one of the consensus top5 RBs, top5 QBs, they all seem to make sense. I know they won't finish as we project them all out but on paper they seem the most logical. So that being the case I find myself looking past that to what will likely be the difference between making a strong run or just having an average team and that's the gold you have to find in later rounds or guys that will way out perform their current ADP. If you can find those type of players it makes the draft feel like a walk in the park. Sure you can't have Chris Johnson because you don't have the #1 pick but you can target other players and simply scoop them up a round early if need be to find the gold.

I have a lot of players I like later but I wanted to talk about an overall team that I was high on last year but perhaps was a year early. I'm hoping that they start to come into their own a little more this season and they have enlisted the help of some really good assistants which we will discuss. I'm talking about the Kansas City Chiefs and I want to go thru their skill position players and why I think so many are missing the boat.

1. Coaching: They hire Charlie Weiss and Romeo Crennel to help out HC Haley and I think the tone has been set. If Haley doesn't get them playing better they probably will make Weiss the HC if all else fails. It will push Haley who could feel a little intimidated with that type pf coaching behind him. He certainly is going to do the best job that he is capable of meaning these 2 assistants are going to push him to be a better HC, that's my opinion but we are going to see the best Haley has to offer.

I'm gonna start with Crennel and move to Weiss in a second. Romeo is a great coach and a master of the 3-4. He did it very well in New England and both he and Weiss have 3 rings from their days in New England. The addition of Eric Berry is going to make this defense better, a lot better. They spent some big picks along that DL, and I think Romeo will coach them up and get the most out of them. A stronger defense is going to help the offense out a lot and it's something you should always think about IMO...if the defense can't get off the field then your players on the offense are sitting on the sidelines and it limits their effectiveness and number of offensive snaps which is not good.

Something a good friend mentioned to me and I wanted to share was that Charlie Weiss has an interesting track record. Yes he helps offenses out but one of the key things he does is make WRs a lot better. Look what he did in New England with very little talent to work with. Was Deion Branch ever really that good? Troy Brown, David Patten, not really HoF type WRs but he got the most out of them. He did the same thing in

You make some good points.I think the line play will be better than last year, but still subpar.

This will help Cassel put up some better numbers, and Charles (assuming he is the real deal) should have a decent chance to pick up where he left off last year.

With that being said, I still think the team is a good year away from coming together. I still think this will be a losing season for them, and Cassel wont likely be a legitimate starting fantasy QB until next year or the year after. Also, I am not convinced that Charles is as good as the last couple games of the season when he was up against weak run defenses. I do think he is a starter and will likely get 900-1100 yards rushing and 1300 yards overall, but I dont think he will be the 1500+ yard monster some are predicting.

either way, both are most definitely players of interest, and may be solid #2 fantasy QB and #2 Fantasy RB on any given fantasy team.

 

[FUBAR]

I pretty much agree with you that the Chiefs are being overlooked and IMO will challenge SD and Denver for the division, none will make it far (probably) in the playoffs but a division title would be huge in KC right now.

I've been targeting Cassel and Chambers in drafts, love the value they represent.

 

[Stinkin Ref]

thanks for taking the time....nice writeup...

with Denver losing Elvis for possibly the season now, and a Moreno hammy issue.....holdouts in SD....things in the AFC west could get crazy.....

 

[finito]

Someone tried to trade me Chris Chambers recently. I rejected the trade, had no interest in him. The other owner then sent me an email with his stats after he went to the Chiefs last year -- I thought he had made them up at first, so I looked up the numbers myself. It was pretty surprising. Chambers put up pretty good numbers, was a #2 fantasy wideout the 2nd half of the year. In that stretch he outscored Jennings, Driver, Ocho, Colston, Simms-Walker. Question is whether he keeps it up. Seems like he and Cassel had clicked to a certain extent. Bowe, Chambers and McCluster could end up being a decent trio this year.

 

[Godsbrother]

Good write up. I think the Chiefs are being overlooked too but you didn't mention the defense or o-line. Wasn't their offensive line a mess last year?

 

[benson_will_lead_the_way]

Good writeup....I think put SD, KC, Oakland in a hat and pick one out to be the division winner.

On your note about Romeo, he is not an intimidating guy(in reference to Haley). I have met with him personally and talked football. Great individual. Now if you were talking about it just in regards to his experience and being a former NFL HC...then I understand.

 

[The_Fonz]

I have been hot on Jamaal Charles this year, i think he will be huge. I had Bowe last year, the guy gets a lot of targets even after chambers got there. Bowe should improve this year. Thomas Jones was my best bargain last year, I am not sure he'll be anywhere near that this year but if I got charles, i'd definitely grab TJ later.

I like your take on Cassel, I had higher hopes for him last year but you may be right as to why he wasn't so great last year and why we should expect better things this year.

Great writeup and thanks.

 

[Donnybrook]

Aside from Hali (and maybe Sheffield), the Chiefs have no viable pass-rushers. Their 22 sacks were the second fewest last season, though at least that total more than doubled their N.F.L. record-low 10-sack output in '08. A halfway decent pass-rush would do wonders for Romeo Crennel's unit, especially considering that the young secondary is poised to blossom.http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/04/kansas-city-chiefs-2010-season-preview/

http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07...season-preview/This is their Achilles heel. I don't believe they did enough to improve their DL to warrant playoff expectations.

 

[Ray_T]

Good write up. I think the Chiefs are being overlooked too but you didn't mention the defense or o-line. Wasn't their offensive line a mess last year?

Yes it was a mess.It is improved this year, but not to a point where I would say it is a strength of the team.

 

[Jayrod]

Eric Berry will make a huge difference for them as well as McCluster.

Team on the rise.

 

[The Jacket]

I think they offer more upside in FF than the NFL. The running game could/should be elite, and the defensive backfield could be among the best in the league, but I see glaring weaknesses all across the front 7. And after watching Cassel for 15 games last year I'm very hesitant to express any confidence in him. He's a great guy, very hard worker, and even the physical talent seems decent, but the decision-making and accuracy was really quite poor last year. I know the OL and drops didn't help, but he often looked like a deer in the headlights. IDK, it's possible it was a confidence issue and if he starts off well this year, ala NE 08, maybe it carries through the rest of the season.

WRs are reportedly looking good this year (vs bad in last year's camp), but they need to prove it. Bowe's got all the talent but has had trouble with consistency/drops. We saw Chambers' potential last year but that's not a given (to his credit he seemed to develop a nice chemistry with Cassel, especially on some deep routes which isn't Cassel's strength). McCluster seems extremely explosive but is still a 170-180lb rookie.

It'd be a real treat if they were one of those surprise .500+ teams, but I don't see it. The schedule is weak and on paper you would think they can split the division and win a few outside it, but it's got to happen on the field. It's possible I'm snakebit and a little harsh overall, but unfortunately I see 6-10, a lot of close losses and more hope in 2011.

/KC fan

 

[Godsbrother]

Good write up. I think the Chiefs are being overlooked too but you didn't mention the defense or o-line. Wasn't their offensive line a mess last year?

Yes it was a mess.It is improved this year, but not to a point where I would say it is a strength of the team.

Has their defense improved much? They were pretty bad last season (ranked 30th overall)

 

[pantherclub]

That is a sick good write up MOP. While I dont think they will hit playoffs this year I think 8-8 is attainable.

regarding Bowe. I think he is in for a monster year. I think the light switch went on and it speaks volumes that KC didnt unload him when everyone in KC seemed to think it was a given. With Weiss, the new spread offense and Cassell a year under the new coach I could easily see Bowe with 80+ catches for 1200 yds 8 tds. In the beginning last year it seemed like Cassell throw to Bowe in the endzone no matter how many defenders were on him. To me that is a good sign that Matt knows what he has in Bowe. 2 years ago Bowe just seemed like a man possessed going after balls and being physical. I think the early training camp and preseason battle of wills with his coach got into his head. Then the suspension came. I think this is his year. that said I am trying to get him at all costs in the 4rth round this year.

 

[Tickle Monster]

Eric Berry will make a huge difference for them as well as McCluster.

Team on the rise.

Pioli Is going to turn them around. Good time to jump on the Chefs bandwagon.

 

[Captain Hook]

Good writeup Sean and for FF purposes I agree to a point (those that read a lot of FF magazines will see that)

One thing that might be worthwhile is looking at Cassel as part of a QBBC - his schedule certainly suggests that if their offense is better there are some pretty sweet matchups.

Dexter McCluster had some fans who watched him in college - and I like him this year but one important thing to check for YOUR league play is whether your site lists him as a RB or WR - in PPR it could make a huge difference and plus for you.

I do think that Cassel is more talented than people give him credit for - he was outstanding in high school where I saw him, but his time at USC he was behind Carson Palmer and in New England obviously behind Tom Brady until he got his chance. Paoli certainly went out on a limb to get him so he must have been convinced as well - that said, I do think he will be better next year but still can be playable this year while the Chiefs develop.

And finally I don't know where all the Charger doubters are coming from but I think they are still a heavy favorite to win that division.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Good write up. I think the Chiefs are being overlooked too but you didn't mention the defense or o-line. Wasn't their offensive line a mess last year?

Good question GB, the OL was improved in some parts but at the expense in others. Albert cut his QB pressures way down but was called for 13 penalties so which is worse? They did bring in Lilja from Indy and I like him a lot, think he'll help solidfy the inside running game quite a bit which is good for TJ on shorter runs and for Charles busting the long ones. The DL has guys like Dorsey and Jackson who are both 300 lb DEs and perfect for the 3-4 that Crennel is going to run with. I see similarities with them and the studs that New England had during their Super Bowl run, the LBs are the ones that have to really elevate their game but again good coaching should help a lot.

 

[Ray_T]

Good write up. I think the Chiefs are being overlooked too but you didn't mention the defense or o-line. Wasn't their offensive line a mess last year?

Yes it was a mess.It is improved this year, but not to a point where I would say it is a strength of the team.

Has their defense improved much? They were pretty bad last season (ranked 30th overall)

I would argue that it is better, but part of this is because I dont think it can get much worse.The reality is the Defense will still be weak. There will be some improvements, but I do not think these improvements will be large enough to alter the outcome of many games. I figure for most games they lose, the margin of defeat will be smaller, but the result will be the same.I figure a couple more wins than last year due to the improved Defense, and maybe one or two more wins as a result of getting rid of an unhappy player and replacing him with Charles(addition by subtraction for the loss of LJ) and possibly 1 more win if the passing game improves enough due to the better line play.This would be the best case scenario for this team. I cannot see much more than that for this season and there is the possibility that you wont see real results for one more year. The team is headed in the right direction..... but you cannot completely rebuild a team overnight. These things take time.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Thank you everyone, you all are too kind, I really appreciate it. I'm glad this format works, perhaps I'll do a few more teams and see where it leads. I like to look at the whole picture and I can see I need to add more with the OL and DL but I didn't want to just rewrite the OL article Chris Smith and I did a month ago.

To follow up Hook, Cassel is ideal in a best ball format where you won't have to guess what he is doing. Also the schedule is very favorable after the first few weeks.

 

[todisco1]

Right now I think Jamal Charles is a bit undervalued - he's going to be terrific this year even with Thomas Jones, though I'm not sure about the TDs.

Bowe should bounce back and as MOP stated earlier Chambers is a great value. He really was excellent last year.

Not sure about Cassel but I do think he's good enough to get the ball out to Bowe/Chambers.

Be interesting to see if Tony Moeaki makes any noise...

 

[Mainevent]

I see a lot of promise from this team, but still think they are a year away. They need to fill in the LB core (unless Derrick Johnson steps up and plays like the player he can/should be), and they need a bit of help on the Oline.

I like the guys they have drafted in the last couple years... hopefully they start to pan out a bit. Lot of 1st round defensive guys... Tyson Jackson, Eric Berry and Glenn Dorsey.

Its been a while since KC fans have been able to hope to see a playoff game in Arrowhead. Probably not this year, but maybe a wildcard entry.

 

[Ray_T]

Right now I think Jamal Charles is a bit undervalued - he's going to be terrific this year even with Thomas Jones, though I'm not sure about the TDs. Bowe should bounce back and as MOP stated earlier Chambers is a great value. He really was excellent last year. Not sure about Cassel but I do think he's good enough to get the ball out to Bowe/Chambers.Be interesting to see if Tony Moeaki makes any noise...

you know it's funny.... the opinions on Charles are all over the map.some I talk to say he is the most overrated and overhyped player out there, and others say he is underrated.I'm leaning toward overrated, but not by a lot. his big numbers came against weak defenses. I've seen highlights and he looks good, but I just havnt seen enough of him to call him a top 10 RB yet.He is on my list of players to watch during exhibition, and I will keep an eye on the training camp reports on him, but I will reserve my judgement until that time.

 

[Craig_MiamiFL]

Even considering the schedule, I think a 5 win team tops.

I expect an overhaul on the offense next offseason ( Bowe, Cassel)

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Someone tried to trade me Chris Chambers recently. I rejected the trade, had no interest in him. The other owner then sent me an email with his stats after he went to the Chiefs last year -- I thought he had made them up at first, so I looked up the numbers myself. It was pretty surprising. Chambers put up pretty good numbers, was a #2 fantasy wideout the 2nd half of the year. In that stretch he outscored Jennings, Driver, Ocho, Colston, Simms-Walker.

Hush...

 

[Casting Couch]

VEGAS TOTAL WINS for the SEASON :

Kansas City 6 1/2

Oakland 6 1/2

 

[Sinrman]

Nice writeup, MoP. I personally think you might be on to something, but maybe a year early. I like the pieces they have going. A nice, young team overall. The drafting of Berry was HUGE. If he stays healthy, I think he will be a top DB for many years. In fact, I think their defense continues to improve. Their offense... eh, it's ok, I suppose. They need more weapons at WR. Bowe is ok, but he needs a partner, a la Batman and Robin.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

Nice write up Sean!

 

[Chewbanks]

There are so many good articles and threads between the subscriber content and the SP that I find myself just wanting to read most of the time rather than engage or fire up a bunch of threads outside of voter polls which I find useful in getting public opinion on things. I really can't argue against taking one of the consensus top5 RBs, top5 QBs, they all seem to make sense. I know they won't finish as we project them all out but on paper they seem the most logical. So that being the case I find myself looking past that to what will likely be the difference between making a strong run or just having an average team and that's the gold you have to find in later rounds or guys that will way out perform their current ADP. If you can find those type of players it makes the draft feel like a walk in the park. Sure you can't have Chris Johnson because you don't have the #1 pick but you can target other players and simply scoop them up a round early if need be to find the gold.

I have a lot of players I like later but I wanted to talk about an overall team that I was high on last year but perhaps was a year early. I'm hoping that they start to come into their own a little more this season and they have enlisted the help of some really good assistants which we will discuss. I'm talking about the Kansas City Chiefs and I want to go thru their skill position players and why I think so many are missing the boat.

1. Coaching: They hire Charlie Weiss and Romeo Crennel to help out HC Haley and I think the tone has been set. If Haley doesn't get them playing better they probably will make Weiss the HC if all else fails. It will push Haley who could feel a little intimidated with that type pf coaching behind him. He certainly is going to do the best job that he is capable of meaning these 2 assistants are going to push him to be a better HC, that's my opinion but we are going to see the best Haley has to offer.

I'm gonna start with Crennel and move to Weiss in a second. Romeo is a great coach and a master of the 3-4. He did it very well in New England and both he and Weiss have 3 rings from their days in New England. The addition of Eric Berry is going to make this defense better, a lot better. They spent some big picks along that DL, and I think Romeo will coach them up and get the most out of them. A stronger defense is going to help the offense out a lot and it's something you should always think about IMO...if the defense can't get off the field then your players on the offense are sitting on the sidelines and it limits their effectiveness and number of offensive snaps which is not good.

Something a good friend mentioned to me and I wanted to share was that Charlie Weiss has an interesting track record. Yes he helps offenses out but one of the key things he does is make WRs a lot better. Look what he did in New England with very little talent to work with. Was Deion Branch ever really that good? Troy Brown, David Patten, not really HoF type WRs but he got the most out of them. He did the same thing in

Staff quality work right here.

 

[pecorino]

chiefs were my dark horse last year and they totally imploded. maybe i was one year ahead of my time--i like them this year for the same reasons you mention. probably get close to the same result, though.

 

[The Real Hipster Doofus]

Every year I analyze the schedules and try to pick out how many games each team has against BAD teams. I think it is too difficult to project the entire league with accuracy, but it is much easier to try and pick the very worst few teams in the league. I have the Chiefs tied for first in the league with the most games against the league's bottom feeders. That has me looking more closely at a few Chiefs players this year. There should be some good fantasy value to be had in Kansas City this year.

 

[Brady Gaga]

Good write up. I think the Chiefs are being overlooked too but you didn't mention the defense or o-line. Wasn't their offensive line a mess last year?

Yes it was a mess.It is improved this year, but not to a point where I would say it is a strength of the team.

Any news on 3rd round rookie OG Jon Asamoah? I thought he was a steal and he is supposed to be a very good run blocking guard. What's been going on in training camp so far with their OL?

 

[The Jacket]

Good write up. I think the Chiefs are being overlooked too but you didn't mention the defense or o-line. Wasn't their offensive line a mess last year?

Yes it was a mess.It is improved this year, but not to a point where I would say it is a strength of the team.

Any news on 3rd round rookie OG Jon Asamoah? I thought he was a steal and he is supposed to be a very good run blocking guard. What's been going on in training camp so far with their OL?

Not a lot on him. Running 2nd team, but then so is Casey Wiegman, who the Chiefs brought in and most expect to supplant Rudy Niswanger. Haley, a Parcells tree guy, is a real big fan of motivation (remember Bowe running 2nd/3rd team last year, Derrick Johnson, Jamaal Charles behind LJ, etc.). So with that said it's hard to say, but I do expect him to start sooner rather than later. I think they want to faze the out-of-shape/injured (and very overrated) Brian Waters out and replace him with Asamoah. As far as the 6.5 wins Vegas total, that's surprising to me. Maybe I truly am blinded by being a fan, but I see more questions than answers, more holes than talent. I'd set the O/U at 5.5, and I'd then have very little confidence in the over.

 

[Billy Ball Thorton]

Cassel is not good period. This team is not good period. The Lions, Rams have a better chance of turning the corner.

Well, maybe not the Rams.

 

[Captain Hook]

Cassel is not good period. This team is not good period. The Lions, Rams have a better chance of turning the corner. Well, maybe not the Rams.

IF your team could trade Leinart for Cassel right now they would be heavy favorite for NFC West

 

[vandyt]

3. Thomas Jones: His ADP is all over the place. I see him go pretty late in some drafts and then not as late as I would like in others. Reports out of camp are that he is as fast and quick as ever...that's great but he wore down in New York and at this stage and age he is likely to wear down again unless the Chiefs stick to using him on 3rd and short situations and in and around the goal line. I understand Charles' owners will not like this and no doubt TJ is going to get some carries in scoring oppurtunities but his age is a concern and while we used to say he doesn't have the normal tread of a guy his age...he's been used a lot the past 4-5 years and made up for lost time. He's good insurance of you take Charles in the 3rd.

I don't necessarily agree with some of what you said, but I think you are right on that the Chiefs, overall, are being undervalued. I had one question, which is about the bolded part above. I know that Jamaal Charles is a smaller back, whose physical traits don't suggest alot of success with short yardage running, but I find it hard to believe the Chiefs would push him out of the offense and being in TJ in high leverage situations when TJ has been one of the worst short yardage running backs in the league the last few years. Especially last season, playing behind an above average OL, he seemed to get repeatedly stuffed in short yardage situations, and showed little explosion or power in that area.

Knowing that theres no correct answer here til we see how it plays out....do we actually think TJ will be the "short-yardage" guy, or are we just assuming that because Charles is 195ish?

 

[Team Legacy]

Right on the money MOP. They are an improved team and a LOCK to improve on their win total (4) from last year. Last year, 5 games were lost by a TD or less.

If I were a betting man, I'd put the odds at 80% for 6 wins. 60% chance at 7 wins and a 40% chance at 8.

 

[Donnybrook]

Cassel is not good period. This team is not good period. The Lions, Rams have a better chance of turning the corner. Well, maybe not the Rams.

IF your team could trade Leinart for Cassel right now they would be heavy favorite for NFC West

Really? I don't think the odds would change significantly. They might even go down.

 

[Billy Ball Thorton]

Cassel is not good period. This team is not good period. The Lions, Rams have a better chance of turning the corner. Well, maybe not the Rams.

IF your team could trade Leinart for Cassel right now they would be heavy favorite for NFC West

I DISAGREE 110% I would MUCH rather have Leinart then Cassel. I would be willing to bet you a next year subscription (FBG) that ML is a better QB then Cassel thie year.