10 Kansas City Chiefs Players Who Have Been a Pleasant Surprise in 2014
During the preseason and the first two weeks of the 2014 regular season, the injury bug got the Kansas City Chiefs. The team was hit with myriad injuries on all three phases of the game. The Chiefs even had some young guys fill in as new starters.
Despite missing plenty of starters, the team has managed to overcome an 0-2 start, as some of its unheralded players pulled through to put Kansas City in position to win.
In this slideshow, we will go over 10 players who have positively surprised fans up to this point.
RB Knile Davis
1 of 10
When Jamaal Charles went down with an injury early in Week 2 against Denver, second-year running back Knile Davis stepped up when the team needed the rushing game to come alive after it was non-existent in Week 1.
Against Denver and Miami in Week 3, Davis rushed for 211 yards and three touchdowns combined. When Charles returned in Week 4 against New England, the Chiefs found a way to keep Davis active, as he rushed for 107 yards.
He has been quiet in the last two games against San Francisco and San Diego, but expect him to bounce back in the near future when the Chiefs get their running game going.
RB De'Anthony Thomas
2 of 10
People always have to be cautious when praising players based on a small sample size of games. But it is not like we are completely shocked by rookie De’Anthony Thomas this year. What he did briefly in the preseason is starting to carry over to the regular season.
Thomas made his debut in Week 5 after a hamstring injury prevented him from making his first NFL appearance. The rookie quickly made noise with his first career reception, catching a short pass and running 17 yards for a touchdown. Thomas has also returned five punts for 80 yards, giving him the third-highest average with 17 yards per punt return.
In two regular-season games, Thomas showcased his speed and agility, as the Chiefs look to benefit more from his playmaking abilities on offense and special teams.
TE Travis Kelce
3 of 10
After missing his rookie season with a knee injury, Travis Kelce made his NFL debut one year later and is making the best of it. He is the team’s top pass-catcher and one of the league’s top tight ends.
Kelce’s ability to make defenders miss and use his speed has helped the offense move the chains—18 times, to be exact, as 75 percent of his catches have resulted in first downs or touchdown scores.
He leads the team in catches with 24, receiving yards with 307 and touchdown grabs with three.
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LT Eric Fisher
4 of 10
While playing as a right tackle his rookie season, Eric Fisher committed six penalties and allowed 8.5 sacks. This season, Fisher moved back to his original position at left tackle.
His preseason was not an encouraging one, and he got off to a slow start in the regular season. But Fisher eventually picked it up and has played like a complete left tackle.
When blocking for quarterback Alex Smith, Fisher has allowed 3.5 sacks, which isn’t great but is a step in the right direction for him so far. He has also paved the way for Chiefs running backs, helping them place third in rushing going into Week 8.
DE Allen Bailey
5 of 10
When Mike DeVito ruptured his Achilles, Allen Bailey was sent to play in his spot. So far, he has performed well up front.
He is quietly third on the team in sacks with 2.5 while earning two tackles for a loss and one pass deflection.
As part of Kansas City’s defensive front seven, Bailey has provided help in stopping the run and pressuring the quarterback.
ILB Josh Mauga
6 of 10
Alongside dropping Week 1 to the Tennessee Titans, Derrick Johnson’s Achilles tear put a damper on the defense, as he was 19 tackles short of a thousand for his career, which would have given him the franchise record. The Chiefs also lost Joe Mays, who was projected to play beside Johnson, due to a wrist injury.
This forced the Chiefs to put in two backups at inside linebacker.
But if you have paid close attention to Kansas City’s defense against the run, you surely have noticed Josh Mauga. He has made a spark on defense, playing well against the running game and leading the Chiefs in tackles with 41.
With the loss of two starting inside linebackers, Mauga quickly accepted the role and evolved into a defensive star on the team.
CB Phillip Gaines
7 of 10
Kansas City is playing with a thin secondary, but rookie Phillip Gaines has looked impressive and showed it this past week against the Chargers.
Statistically, Gaines has just three tackles. But he’s played well in coverage and came through on a crucial third down against the Chargers when he batted down a pass in the end zone targeted for Keenan Allen, contributing to Kansas City’s stunning win on the road.
If Gaines can continue to play well in coverage, the Chiefs will continue to play at a high level on defense.
FS Husain Abdullah
8 of 10
Husain Abdullah made some flashes last year as a backup, and now he’s stepped into a starting role in which he has managed to come through for the Chiefs.
While being second on the team in tackles with 31, Abdullah has been a reliable safety, batting down four passes and even coming away with an interception taken all the way back for a touchdown.
Abdullah has also assisted the front seven as an additional blitzer, hurrying the quarterback and bringing down running backs behind the line of scrimmage.
SS Ron Parker
9 of 10
With Eric Berry out with a high ankle sprain since Week 2, Ron Parker has stepped up in his absence.
Like Abdullah, Parker is one of the leading tacklers on the team and has played well in coverage. Despite a lackluster preseason, he changed positions and has looked good as a safety.
Defensive backs coach and former Super Bowl champion Emmitt Thomas even highlighted Parker’s success on defense, per Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star.
K Cairo Santos
10 of 10
General manager John Dorsey was criticized early for cutting Ryan Succop and going with kicker Cairo Santos when the rookie missed two of his first four field-goal attempts. But Santos has redeemed himself in the past three games.
After going 2-of-4 through the first two games, Santos has made his last six field goals. His best game was this past week when he went 3-of-3 against the Chargers, including a 48-yard game-winning field goal to help upset the Chargers on the road.
All statistics courtesy of STATS LLC.
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