Player usage has become one of the stranger storylines around the Chiefs, and Sunday’s win over the Miami Dolphins gave it another twist. Kansas City is 3-0, but the snap counts keep handing out little puzzles for fans to chew on.
The biggest one came with Kristian Fulton. He was nowhere to be found in the rotation against Miami, logging zero snaps despite being graded by Pro Football Focus as one of the best coverage corners in the league so far this season.
That stood out even more because Fulton had already looked solid in relief of Mansoor Delane while injured. With a $13 million cap hit and L’Jarius Sneed getting beat multiple times, it seems like there should have been a way to get Fulton on the field.
The receiver group raised its own questions, and not the good kind. Cyrus Allen played just one snap against the Dolphins, bringing his season total to five.
That’s a hard landing for a fifth-round rookie who had a strong preseason, showed real chemistry with Patrick Mahomes, earned clear trust from the staff, and flashed separation in a room that needed it. Chiefs fans had reason to think he might get fast-tracked, but Sunday made it look more like a slow burn.
For now, the comparison to Jalen Royals 2.0 is hard to ignore.
Xavier Worthy’s usage was also hard to square with the production. He was on the field for 83 percent of available snaps, yet he finished with only two targets.
That becomes even more striking when Tyquan Thornton was under 50 percent, Jalen Royals was under 20 percent, and Cyrus Allen barely played at all. Worthy’s heavy workload without the matching opportunities or chemistry with Patrick Mahomes is an uncomfortable trend, especially since he hasn’t looked like the same player from late 2024, when he closed with 34 catches for 431 yards and five scores over his final five games.
There was better news with Mansoor Delane. After sitting out Week 2 even though he was healthy enough to play, Delane was back in a big way in Week 3, taking 99 percent of the snaps, or 72 total.
He looked like a defender who could change a game, even with the rookie mistakes that come with the territory. The Chiefs traded up three spots to get him at No. 6 overall in this year’s draft, and early returns point to a strong move.
Bryson Eason also started to show up inside the defensive tackle rotation. A late preseason addition who arrived when the Chiefs claimed him on waivers, Eason played 10 percent of the snaps on Sunday. That’s a modest number, but it suggests he’s beginning to ease into the mix as another early-down run-stuffer alongside Khyiris Tonga, giving Kansas City more depth for what should be a long season.
In Other News...
Kelce Brothers Are Adding A New Twist To Chiefs Game Day
The Chiefs will spend their bye week getting ready for a return to Arrowhead Stadium on Oct. 18, when they host the Chargers in a game that already has a little extra buzz around it. Before kickoff, fans headed to the Truman Sports Complex will have a new option to fill the hours, thanks to a New Heights tailgate set for Lot M from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. featuring free food, games and a DJ.
The event is another sign of how much game day around the Chiefs has become its own experience, especially with Travis and Jason Kelce leaning into the family brand they have built around their podcast. Travis Kelce will not be part of the tailgate, since he will be focused on preparing to play that night, but the setup still gives fans a fresh pregame gathering point as the Chiefs get back to work after the bye. [Read more 🡒]
Andy Reids Quirky Chiefs Rule Says A Lot About Team Standards
Andy Reid has never been a coach who leaves much to guesswork, and one of his more memorable Chiefs standards says plenty about how he runs the room. In a recent interview with Jason Garrett, Reid explained that Kansas City players are not allowed to wear tank tops in the dining hall, a rule tied to keeping the salad bar clean. It is a small detail, but it fits the larger point: Reids teams tend to live on order, accountability and the idea that even the little things matter.
What stands out is not just the rule itself, but the way Reid handles it. He said he believes in explaining the reason behind every guideline so players understand the expectation instead of simply being told to follow it. For a veteran coach with plenty of credibility, that approach helps reinforce the kind of team culture the Chiefs have tried to build, one rooted in respect, focus and shared standards rather than vague do-as-I-say demands. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Already Look Like A Bigger Problem Than Expected
Through the first three weeks of the NFL season, Kansas City has already looked every bit like the kind of problem opponents hoped to avoid. The Chiefs entered the year with some offseason concerns hanging over them, but their strong start has quickly pushed them into the conversation with the leagues most reliable early teams. In a league still settling in, they have again shown the sort of steadiness that makes September feel a little misleading.
Across the rest of the league, other surprises have helped frame just how serious the Chiefs start has been. The Giants have banked encouraging home wins even while dealing with quarterback injuries, and Minnesota has stayed unbeaten behind a defense that has carried the load through offensive struggles. Cleveland, meanwhile, has stumbled out of the gate under new coaching, which only sharpens the contrast with Kansas City and raises the question of how much better the Chiefs can still get. [Read more 🡒]