Chiefs training camp is less than two weeks away at Missouri Western State University, as Kansas City looks to rebound from a 6-11 season on the back of what should be yet another grueling month up in St. Joseph, MO.
Brett Veach and his front office staff made sure to extract nearly every offseason lever they had to bring in more talent and replace the big names walking out the door. This year's squad looks quite different from years past, as should the product on the field on both sides of the ball.
For the offense, a more balanced approach on the back of a strong run game needs to do the trick and ease the burden off Patrick Mahomes, who by all accounts is on track not just to start Week 1 coming off a torn ACL, but actually participate quite heavily in training camp activities.
On the defense, a slew of secondary departures forced the Chiefs to reassess where they want the strength of the unit to be. And judging by the parts added on the d-line, it's clear that Chris Jones and George Karlaftis finally have some legitimate young star power to turn pressures into sacks.
But let's not bury the lead any longer. Below is my list of the top 10 Chiefs heading into the 2026 training camp. While overall talent and team importance are two separate indicators, know that I skewed my sorting of the players, purely based on how good football players they are heading into this season.
Patrick Mahomes remains the obvious choice at the top, but a revamped roster shakes up the rest of the rankings
1. Patrick Mahomes
This one shouldn't take a whole lot of convincing. Despite the now 30-year-old coming off the first major injury of his professional career, his recovery progress, as has been the case with past ailments, seems to simply be nothing other than superhuman-ish.
Mahomes should benefit from an improved Reid scheme, an effective running game, available wide receivers, and a healthy offensive line. Parts of the team that have been woefully absent for too long over the past few years. Oh, and his mindmelded security blanket on the field, Travis Kelce is back for another run.
2. Creed Humphrey
Look, center is not the flashiest of positions in football, but Creed Humphrey sure tries his best to make it seem so. His four consecutive Pro Bowls and two straight first-team All Pros speak for themselves. As does his leading among centers, 88.8 overall PFF grade from last year.
The lone weakness of his game is occasionally snapping the ball too low, too high, at an angle, etc. Which would typically be a big problem if it weren't for number 15 behind him masking yet another small deficiency around him. Creed Humphrey is unarguably the best at what he does across the NFL.
3. Chris Jones
For some, this may seem a tad too high for Jones, given a couple of the guys behind him. His 12 combined sacks over the past two seasons and less than 30 total tackles in 2025 certainly aren't numbers expected of a guy with a $44 million cap hit this year.
But I am of the belief that the 32-year-old Jones has one more top-tier, elite season in him. The pocket disruption was there from him last year. He shed double-teams like it was nothing, but had trouble finishing the job on the quarterback. Added help among the interior, along with some speed-rush off the edge, should open things up for Jones and prompt him to hit double-digit sack numbers again.
4. Kenneth Walker III
The first Kansas City Chiefs newcomer to this list is the reigning Super Bowl MVP. The 25-year-old Walker brings with him to KC an accomplished resume over his four years in Seattle. For three of four years, he has amassed at least 1,100 yards from scrimmage, and is peaking at a point in his career at just the right time.
Walker's over 400 yards and four scores in three games last playoffs had Chiefs fans buzzing, knowing that he was an upcoming free agent. Luckily enough, Veach landed Walker on a three-year, $42 million deal. His explosiveness and big-play ability are exactly the reasons why I expect the Chiefs offense to finally get back to its old ways.
5. Trey Smith
Yeah, the Chiefs' interior o-line is pretty good, as Trey Smith has a case for being as high as number three on this list. The two-time Pro Bowl right guard has been a stalwart ever since being a sixth-round pick in 2021, and was awarded a payday himself in Kansas City prior to the start of last year, keeping him on the team for the long haul.
Smith is a very good pass-protector, but at a hulking 6'6", 320 lbs, he is a one-man wrecking ball in the run game. He and Humphrey alone should open up running holes for Walker that would put the parting of the Red Sea to shame.
6. Josh Simmons
This ranking is more of a personal projection on my part, but I know Chiefs Kingdom will have my back on this one. Josh Simmons is just a really good football player. I know that his mid-season disappearance last year was odd, and well, it still kind of is.
But the Chiefs' 2025 first-round pick seems as fully committed to football as ever, judging from the latest viral photo going through social media. In 525 snaps played at left tackle last season, Simmons allowed just two sacks and a pair of QB hits. His eigth penalties will have to lessen, but going into year two with a clearer understanding of the offense and Mahomes' pre-snap cadence, I have every confidence that the Chiefs have finally found their left tackle of the future.
7. George Karlaftis
If it hadn't been for 60% of the Chiefs' offensive line being absolutely elite and Kenneth Walker's addition to the team, George Karlaftis would've been on this list much sooner. But his being at seven is a fair spot for a guy who looks to take that next step from being a very good player to a league-wide star.
Karlaftis is a true work-horse. He plays the most snaps of anybody on the d-line and ranked 11th in the league with 66 pressures in 2025, despite a broken hand he fought through for half of the campaign. But to become a blue-chip player, those 60-plus pressures a year need to turn into double-digit sacks, not half a dozen. It'll be a big year for the Chiefs' own 'Greek Freak.'
8. Rashee Rice
If Rashee Rice weren't, how do I put this nicely, a nucklehead, he may have found his way into the top half of this list. Alas, the 26-year-old can't get out of his own way. I'm not going to relitigate the long list of mistakes Rice has made since entering the league, because this article would turn into a lot more than a couple thousand words.
But there is no denying how talented Rice has become, and the trust he has earned from Mahomes on the field. It was built over Rice's rookie year, in which his 1,200 yards and 8 TDs powered the Chiefs' offense to capture the 2023 Super Bowl victory. Through half the season last year, Rice was on pace for a Pro Bowl-caliber performance. Let's hope he can see it through in 2026.
9. Nick Bolton
I didn't know exactly where to put Bolton. His importance to the team might require his placement nearer to No. 7, but the deficiencies in his pass-game coverage ability might have had him on the list entirely. But nine is think is good sweet spot. Bolton's pure efficiency at getting downhill and making tackles in the run game is second to none in the NFL. And his green dot duties force him to be the vocal leader and coach on the field, something he has improved on over the years.
But Steve Spagnuolo needs to realize that on obvious passing downs, having Bolton out there is coaching malpractice. And he needs to realize that. I hope that for Nick Bolton's sake, he is able to do what he does best on the field and not be relegated to the slanders he receives from fans because of coaching denial.
10. Travis Kelce
There's no way I could keep the future first ballot Hall of Fame tight end off this list. Even entering his age-37 season, Kelce is still a top-give tight end in the league, and his 11.2 yards per reception last year were his best mark since 2023.
While he's not the same athlete he once was and is not able to be the focal point of the Chiefs' offense, Travis Kelce is still incredibly productive. 46 of his 76 catches last year went for first downs, and his catch rate remains over 70%, due to his otherworldly connection with Mahomes. It may be his last season, so soak it up while you can.
Honorable Mentions
WR Xavier Worthy, CB Mansoor Delane, CB Nohl Williams, S Alohi Gilman, K Harrison Butker
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