Who Is the Kansas City Chiefs' Most Underrated Player?

There have been discussions from the media as to whether or not the fullback position is a dying breed in the NFL. Not every team has a fullback today, while some use a tight end or a running back in place of where a fullback would normally play for a play or two.

According to Pro Football Focus, there were only 23 active fullbacks in 2014 and 25 in 2013.

The players who play that position don’t get noticed often. Similar to offensive linemen, fullbacks don’t get talked about unless they do something wrong and if it makes a negative impact on the team.

But the Kansas City Chiefs have a standout fullback in Anthony Sherman. During the 2013 offseason, the Chiefs traded away cornerback Javier Arenas to the Arizona Cardinals for Sherman.

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The trade was an equal one for both sides at the time. Today, the Chiefs are winners of the trade by a long shot as Arenas spent just one season with the Cardinals and is currently a free agent, while Sherman has been one of the best fullbacks in the league.

While he is highly appreciated in Kansas City, Sherman has not received the recognition he deserves nationally from football fans. He was not voted in to the last two Pro Bowls.

As far as accolades from the media, Sherman was been named to the second-team All-Pro this past season and was a Pro Football Focus All-Pro the past two years. Pro Football Focus listed Sherman as the best fullback in 2013 and 2014. 

As a member of the Cardinals in 2012, Sherman was rated 21st, or fifth to last, among all fullbacks. When he joined the Chiefs during the same offseason as head coach Andy Reid, he evolved into a top-notch fullback.

Sherman has very few statistics to back up his success, carrying the football just four times for 11 yards and logging 28 catches 226 yards and two touchdowns in the past two seasons.

But it is his blocking that makes Sherman very valuable, which earned him a three-year contract extension during the 2014 season.

Although running back Jamaal Charles has seen fewer carries since Reid’s arrival, he has still posted a 5.0 yards-per-carry average. He ran for 12 touchdowns in 2013, the most he’s had in his career, and rushed for nine scores in 2014, the second most in his career.

A lot of Charles’ success is due to Sherman’s presence and execution as a blocker for him. While offensive linemen mostly block defensive linemen, Sherman helps Charles by paving the way and pushing either another defensive lineman or another defender out of the way, depending where the rush attack is going.

Sherman also contributes on special teams and earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors in Week 10 this past year.

It is reasonable to expect Sherman to continue his dominant success in 2015, serving as a viable blocker for Charles in the rushing department and even picking up a few pass rushes when the Chiefs look to get the passing game going. With Sherman on board, Kansas City's offense, specifically the rushing department, will remain as one of the best in the league.

The Chiefs have been fortunate to have some longevity from two notable fullbacks in Kimble Anders, who spent all 10 years of his career with the Chiefs, and Tony Richardson, who stayed in Kansas City for 11 years.

Now Sherman is carrying the torch, and it could be debated as to whether or not he is the best fullback in franchise history once his career concludes.

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