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3 Chiefs Who Need More Playing Time in Week 7 vs. Chargers

These players are the key to a dominant Chiefs victory

By Joe Summers

Drue Tranquill's versatility and coverage skills make him the perfect foil to the Chargers' aerial attack
Drue Tranquill's versatility and coverage skills make him the perfect foil to the Chargers' aerial attack / Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
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The Chiefs face a disappointing yet capable Chargers squad in Week 7 with an opportunity to take a massive lead in the AFC West.

Kansas City has three straight wins Los Angeles but the games are always competitive, with the Chargers covering the spread in five of the last six contests.

While the defense looks incredible, the Chiefs still have areas to improve on and they'll need their best effort against a desperate opponent. Some players are shining in limited playing time while others are struggling - it's time to flip those snap counts.

Let's look at three Chiefs players who need more playing time to avoid a loss in Week 7.

3 Chiefs Who Need More Playing Time in Week 7 vs. Chargers

1. Rashee Rice, WR

It's obvious to anyone watching that the second-round rookie is Kansas City's best wide receiver and I expect his snaps to continue rising.

He caught all four targets for 72 yards against Denver, but this might be an even better matchup for Rice's skillset.

According to Pro Football Focus, the Chargers play zone coverage at the seventh-highest rate this season (through five weeks) despite ranking fourth-worst among all teams in zone coverage grade. To drive the point home, Los Angeles surrenders 8.7 yards per coverage target playing zone, good for the sixth-worst mark in the NFL.

Unstoppable force, meet movable object. Rice's excellence against zone coverage should be on full display against Brandon Staley's defense. Los Angeles ranks 29th in opponent pass yards per play (7.6), so there will be holes no matter what Staley schemes up.

Staley will likely make some adjustments to combat Travis Kelce's dominance, but that should free up even more space for Rice to get open provided he's on the field.

Rice was on the field for 49% of the snaps against Denver, his second-highest total of the season. He still lagged behind Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Skyy Moore though, and this would be an ideal matchup to flip that script.

He's not the only young receiver who needs more snaps against this beleaguered defense either.

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