The Kansas City Chiefs have no shortage of complaints as they sit one game above .500 heading into a Thanksgiving Clash against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 13. While there is still plenty of time to right the ship, there is no denying that there are certain players who must improve in the final weeks of the season. Right now, this isn't a team capable of making a deep postseason run. The offense must find a higher level of consistency and identity.
Head coach Andy Reid seems to have realized this, having better established the run in Week 12. However, we are a long way from having the established consistency that the franchise needs to again rely on the season ending in February. This starts with a wide receiver who's been less-than-consistent as the season's progressed.
1. Tyquan Thornton, WR
As Rashee Rice continues to look like the Chiefs' WR1, it is clear that Thornton is becoming less and less important to the offense. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes was consistently looking for Thornton early in the 2025 season based on a lack of other options. Now, Xavier Worthy is healthy, and Rice is playing at a high level, establishing a clear pecking order of targets. Add in Travis Kelce and Kareem Hunt, who are both having bounce-back seasons, and there simply isn't a lot of touches for Thornton.
This was evidenced by Week 12 when the receiver was on the field for 25 snaps and didn't manage a single catch. Even practice squad call-up Clyde Edwards-Helaire and struggling rookie Brashard Smith managed to get work in the passing attack. It seems that Thornton is now going to be nothing more than a vertical threat used to keep the defense honest.
This is far away from early in the season when it seemed the receiver was destined for a breakout year. While Thornton has already set single-season career highs in yardage and touchdowns, this doesn't take away the fact that he is becoming increasingly less important to the Chiefs' offense, leaving his role up in the air.
2. Jawaan Taylor , OT
Jawaan Taylor remains in the starting lineup out of necessity at this point, with guard Trey Smith expected to miss time. Smith being out of the lineup leaves swing tackle Jaylon Moore as important depth that Kansas City needs to lean on, apart from benching Taylor. Whether this means putting Moore in at guard or leaving him as the emergency option, it is clear that Taylor is going to get at least one more week in the lineup.
With that said, fans are beyond frustrated with a lineman who continues to make the same mistakes repeatedly. It isn't Taylor's capability as much as it is the fact that the lineman simply makes rookie mistakes seemingly every week, having racked up 13 penalties since the start of the season. This cannot continue to be accepted if the Chiefs are going to reach the heights they are expected to.
For Taylor, this leaves him on borrowed time to win back the role and prove he's deserving of holding onto the role. This is undeniably an uphill battle based on the previous two seasons of struggles from Taylor, making it clear he's never been more on thin ice than he is now.
3. Kristian Fulton, CB
One of the traits that has helped keep the Chiefs' dynastic run alive is a willingness to pivot away from any failing player. At times, this meant even parting ways with stars who are still producing, with Tyreek Hill and L'Jarius Sneed serving as examples of this. However, for whatever reason, it seems that the contract the Chiefs handed Kristian Fulton has kept the struggling corner in the lineup.
Kansas City keeps doubling down on Fulton's usage, despite having rookie Nohl Williams as a clearly superior option. Opting to keep Fulton in the lineup is an organizational failure and must change if Fulton's level of play doesn't improve heading into a Thanksgiving Day matchup against the Cowboys, who have one of the most lethal aerial attacks this season.
Fulton's performance isn't at the level that the Chiefs should feel confident whenever he takes to the field. If Thursday doesn't bring a drastic improvement, it is time for the Chiefs to come to terms and bury Fulton on the depth chart for the rest of the season.