3 Chiefs on Thin Ice After Way-Too-Close Win Over Broncos in Week 10

3. Carson Steele - RB

The beloved undrafted rookie has been trending down for weeks and did little to indicate he deserves more playing time moving forward. Carson Steele had only two carries for three yards and was frequently beaten by rushers, putting Patrick Mahomes in danger and slowing down the offense.

Kareem Hunt is the clear leader in the backfield and Samaje Perine is the preferred passing-down backup. Clyde Edwards-Helaire could make his season debut as soon as next week, leaving Steele as the likely odd man out for the second half of the season.

He's an effective, bruising runner, yet it's clear there are finer technical points of the position that Steele has yet to master.

After putting up 30 points against the Buccaneers last week, the Chiefs managed only 16 in Week 10. That won't cut it against the Bills and a big issue was how much Kansas City struggled in pass protection.

Steele was a perpetrator there. Unless the Chiefs intend to keep four running backs, they'll need to waive someone once Edwars-Helaire returns. Given his inexperience and lack of draft pedigree, Steele is a safe bet to be that guy.

With persistent fumbling issues and errors in pass protection, Steele doesn't have the trust of the coaching staff like the other backs do. He'll be a good player in this league and the Chiefs would love to keep him, yet the limited production and frequent mistakes have seemingly made Andy Reid's ultimate decision easy.

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