The Chiefs look poised to make another deep playoff run en route to a potential third consecutive Super Bowl victory, having secured the No. 1 seed in the AFC with the ability to rest starters in Week 18 on top of the first-round postseason bye.
Guys like Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Chris Jones will obviously be the driving forces behind any major success over the next month, but there are a number of other players who will step up in a big way to help this organization reach immortality.
We all know the leaders, but who are some of the underrated Chiefs who are poised to guide Kansas City to another Lombardi?
1. Joe Thuney – OL
It’s hard to call a three-time All-Pro an under-the-radar player, yet fans and national media alike still might not be aware of how special Joe Thuney has been. After another ho-hum season of perhaps the best guard play in the NFL, Thuney flipped over to left tackle, a position he does not play, and has been excellent.
The 32-year-old only has one year left in his contract. However, no offensive lineman has been more important to the Chiefs. Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith are elite players, though Thuney moving over to left tackle helped resurrect Kansas City’s offense and save the season.
D.J. Humphries’ acquisition has proved to be a failure. He can’t get on the field and at this point, it’s far too risky to let him protect Mahomes. Wanya Morris and Kingsley Suamataia clearly can’t handle the role, so it feels likely that Thuney will remain the Chiefs’ left tackle throughout the playoff run.
Ranking as the fourth-best offensive guard out of 129 players at Pro Football Focus, Thuney has been marvelous.
Considering next year is the last on his contract, there’s a strong argument to be made that Brett Veach needs to do everything in his power to extend the veteran. If Thuney keeps this level of play up, he’ll be remembered as one of the best offensive linemen in franchise history.
2. Xavier Worthy – WR
The rookie first-round pick has exploded in recent weeks to become one of the more dynamic wide receivers in the league, and it looks like Xavier Worthy is the second consecutive wideout that Brett Veach struck gold on.
He started the season as mostly a pure downfield threat but has seen his role expand in a major way over the last month. With 31 targets over the last three weeks, most of which have come on designed plays to let him create yards after the catch, Worthy has turned into one of the best weapons in the NFL.
Barring Week 18 results, Worthy has 59 catches for 638 yards and six TDs while adding 104 yards and three more scores on the ground. Alongside Travis Kelce, Worthy is someone opponent’s can’t truly prepare for given the way Andy Reid deploys him.
With Hollywood Brown back in the fold, the Chiefs have someone else to run downfield routes as a vertical stretcher. That’s allowed Worthy to stay near the line of scrimmage, and his average depth of target has dropped accordingly.
This is a special rookie season for what looks like a special player. Expect Worthy to maintain a high level of involvement throughout the playoffs as fans salivate about what a receiver group led by him and Rashee Rice could look like long-term.
Kansas City struck gold with Worthy and he’ll help deliver a Super Bowl in just his first year.
3. Jaden Hicks – S
Similar to Xavier Worthy, Jaden Hicks is a supremely talented rookie who has made a significant impact down the stretch. He’s seen his snap count rise to the point that he was on the field 71% of the time in the Steelers, win, perhaps showcasing what a future defense could look like without Justin Reid.
The fourth-round steal plays with a unique physicality, punishing receivers and rushers over the middle with regularity. With two interceptions over the last three weeks and a trio of picks overall, Hicks is certainly developing a reputation as a game-changing talent.
With Reid, Hicks, and Bryan Cook manning the secondary, the defense has mitigated the loss of Jaylen Watson in the cornerback room.
The rookie who says “rookie mode is not really there anymore” — Jaden Hicks. Started the game with an INT — setting the tone for the defense early. #Chiefs pic.twitter.com/r4ae5twW9a
— Harold R. Kuntz (@HaroldRKuntz3) December 21, 2024
He’s growing more confident by the week, which will pay dividends down the stretch. Against excellent offensive teams like the Ravens and Bills, two potential AFC Championship Game opponents, Hicks’ physicality could prove the difference.
It looked like an excellent draft pick at the time, and that’s only proven more accurate by the game.
4. Hollywood Brown – WR
Despite playing only two games so far, the impact Hollywood Brown is having on the offense couldn’t be more obvious. His mere presence gives more room for Xavier Worthy, Travis Kelce, and DeAndre Hopkins, to say nothing of his immediate contributions as a third-down weapon.
As Brown grows more comfortable and builds chemistry with Patrick Mahomes, his impact will continue to grow. He’s got nine catches for 91 yards through two contests, but it’s no coincidence that those were two of the offense’s best performances of the 2024 season.
If Brown serves as the downfield, vertical stretcher while Worthy chews up chunk gains underneath, Mahomes will have the most options he’s enjoyed since his early years.
Hollywood Brown in 2 games: 15 targets, 9 receptions, 91 yards, 8.1 ADOT, 2.68 Y/RR
Small sample size but his 2.68 Y/RR ranks 4th among qualifying WR (he does not qualify) #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/1a1kMPl94D
— Price Carter (@priceacarter) December 26, 2024
Given all of these weapons, not to mention Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco in the backfield, the offense creates a math equation opposing defenses can’t solve. Should the offensive line hold up and Mahomes has adequate time to find these playmakers, the Chiefs will march to a third straight Super Bowl without much trouble.
Make no mistake, this is one of the most effective Chiefs offenses we’ve ever seen. Perhaps it isn’t always pretty, but the team always gets the yards it needs.
Now that Brown’s on the field, things are only going to get better.
5. Charles Omenihu – DE
It’s no coincidence that the Chiefs’ defensive line instantly improved once Charles Omenihu returned from the ACL tear he suffered in last season’s AFC title win over the Ravens. He notched seven sacks in 11 games in 2023 and while he only has one in five contests since his return, Omenihu has made a major impact on Kansas City’s ability to disrupt opposing offenses.
The pending free agent creates a ferocious unit with Chris Jones, George Karlaftis, Mike Danna, and Tershawn Wharton, leaving double-teams useless as the pressure can come from any spot. Throw in Steve Spagnuolo’s patented cornerback blitzes, and it’s no wonder the Chiefs are once again among the best defensive teams in the NFL.
Omenihu hasn’t had much time to show why he deserves a large contract extension, making this playoff run particularly important.
Omenihu didn’t record a sack, but his impact was felt all game long. Does his best to swat away the LT’s hands, and then rips his way around the edge. Wilson feels this and throws the check-down route. A few seconds later it’s the Chiefs ball. Trent McDuffie… pic.twitter.com/l0J6Bwndr8
— Caleb James (@CJScoobs) December 27, 2024
On the play against Pittsburgh where Trent McDuffie forced a fumble, it was Omenihu creating pressure that forced a short pass from Russell Wilson. It won’t show up in the box score, but Omenihu helped make that play happen just as much as McDuffie did.
Just like how the offense is finally getting healthy and being rewarded, Omenihu’s contributions on the defense raise the ceiling in a significant way.
He forced a fumble on a strip-sack against Lamar Jackson last year. Don’t be surprised if he does it again on another unsuspecting quarterback.
