The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off a brutal Week 1 loss, where they showed flashes of being the team we all know they can be, but with several significant fall-offs. The offensive line struggled with early penalties, and Patrick Mahomes struggled to connect with his receivers on some deep balls. Star receiver Xavier Worthy went down with a shoulder injury, and many fans have concerns about what direction the Chiefs are headed in this season.
But with all of the struggles we saw in week one, there were a lot of positives. Mahomes looked like himself, using his legs and making plays like he always does when the plays break down. Rookie Joshua Simmons held up well against one of the best pass rushers in football, and Travis Kelce does not appear to have lost a step. Today, I take a shot at some bold predictions for the rest of the 2025 season.
1- Isiah Pacheco will rush for 1000 yards again this year
After an injury-riddled 2024 for Isiah Pacheco, many fans were hoping to see the Chiefs make a splash in the running back market this offseason. But Brett Veach and his staff were confident Pacheco would return to form in 2025. With the only new faces in the RB room being Elijah Mitchell and seventh-round pick Brashard Smith, Pacheco is likely to get the vast majority of the touches. In 2023, Pacheco ran for 935 yards, and this season I expect him to return with a vengeance, setting his career high and breaking 1,000 on the year.
2- Josh Simmons is the second most valuable player on the Chiefs
There is a reason that left tackle is one of the three highest-paying positions in the NFL. The depth of talent in the NFL at offensive tackle is thin, and seldom do you see a quality tackle hit free agency.
The Chiefs have not had a true cornerstone offensive tackle since Mitchell Schwartz, and now the hope is that first-round pick Josh Simmons can force some change. I had Simmons as the seventh-best player in the entire 2025 draft class, and I have high expectations for what he will do in Kansas City this year. If he can keep Patrick Mahomes clean with consistency, he will immediately become one of the most valuable players on the roster.
3- Jaylon Moore will start at RT by week 10
When the Chiefs signed Jawaan Taylor to a four-year, $80 million contract in 2023, the expectation was that he would anchor the right side of the Chiefs' offensive line. Unfortunately, this has not been the case, and Taylor has struggled mightily with penalties and allowing inside pressure from bigger edge rushers over the last two years.
This offseason, the Chiefs wanted to shore up their left tackle spot and added Jaylon Moore on a two-year, $30 million deal. But when Josh Simmons fell to them at the end of the first round, Moore's job was left in limbo. If Taylor struggles again in 2025, Andy Reid will not hesitate to make the move to Moore at right tackle.
4- Patrick Mahomes will win MVP
Patrick Mahomes has already won two MVP awards, and this year, I am predicting he will get the title again. 2024 was a "down year" for Mahomes, who threw for under 4,000 yards for the first time in a season as a full-time starter.
What did those two years have in common? Mahomes had arguably the best offensive line of his career. This year, the Chiefs went all out to keep 15 clean, and I suspect he will show everyone what he is capable of this year behind one of the best offensive lines in
5- Nohl Williams will have 5+ interceptions
This may be the boldest prediction on here when you really think about it. Jaylen Watson has been great on the outside, Kristian Fulton just signed a two-year deal with the Chiefs this offseason, and Trent McDuffie is one of the best corners in football. But Williams has already beaten out Joshua Williams, who has been a starter in Kansas City in the past, and I suspect he could beat out Fulton as well.
Williams had seven interceptions last season playing for Cal, leading the NCAA. If he is on the field, I suspect teams will look to target him (Similar to L'Jarius Sneed when he was a rookie), and he will show off that elite ball-hawking ability.