Kansas City Chiefs: Pro Football Focus Ranks Receiving Corps

The Kansas City Chiefs have one of the best receiving groups in the NFL going into 2018. Where does the group rank for Pro Football Focus?

The Kansas City Chiefs have brought in considerable talent to the offensive side of the ball since head coach Andy Reid came to town. Each season the offensive weapons got better for once veteran quarterback Alex Smith.

Last season when the Chiefs drafted quarterback Patrick Mahomes, it was already talked about a great situation for a young quarterback to come into. The offense had already been built for him to step into the following season.

An offensive line that has been mostly the same players for a couple of seasons, talented running backs depth and receiving weapons that most first-year quarterbacks don’t have the luxury of. Players like tight end Travis Kelce, wide receiver Tyreek Hill, and running backs like Spencer Ware and Kareem Hunt.

When we talked about not being able to compare Patrick Mahomes’ situation with other first year or rookie quarterbacks, this already built offense was a big argument for that reason. Most rookie quarterbacks or even first-year starters don’t have an already stacked offense to step into. Most of them are stepping into offenses that have very little to work with.

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General manager Brett Veach took it a step further this offseason by signing wide receiver Sammy Watkins to a lucrative deal. I still believe that no quarterback in the NFL has a better overall talented group than the Kansas City Chiefs. The only team that could contend with that is the Minnesota Vikings.

Pro Football Focus agreed when they wrote their NFL Receiving Corps Rankings article. The Vikings landed the number one spot just barely over the Chiefs, and it was PFF splitting hairs to come to that decision. The only piece that gave the Vikings the lead was Sammy Watkins having a down season in 2017.

Given that Watkins was traded just before the season started and the fact that the Los Angeles Rams undoubtfully underutilized him is significant factors for that. It wasn’t a case of Watkins struggling last season. The Rams kept him lined up in the same position for every snap and even when he did break open deep down the field; quarterback Jared Goff missed him coming open a great deal of the time.

Kansas City has the number one deep threat in Tyreek Hill from a year ago, the most productive tight end in the league, and multiple running backs that can catch out of the backfield. Kareem Hunt broke 16 tackles on 61 receptions last year which make him extremely dangerous as well.

The battle between the two teams is just what PFF explained, splitting hairs. With Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen at wide receiver, Kyle Rudolph at tight end who is arguably one of the most underrated tight ends in the league, and Dalvin Cook returning from injury, the Vikings have a great group as well.

Cook was in the talks for rookie of the year before suffering a season-ending injury last year. He was not only a threat on the ground but coming out of the backfield as well. During his four games in 2017, Cook caught 11 passes for 90 yards. He will look to have a high 2018 season as the Vikings look to take the next step with their new quarterback this year.

Next. Chiefs UDFA rookies that could make the roster. dark

It’s honestly a toss up on who has the better-receiving weapons. The fact that the Chiefs are even involved in this conversation should give fans more than enough to be excited about. Kansas City has always produced elite talent at the tight end and running back positions, but wide receivers have been scarce in team history.

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