3 Chiefs Players Fighting for Their Jobs in Week 7 vs. Chargers

The Chiefs sit atop the AFC West with a fantastic chance to effectively end the race this week, but not every player has met expectations through six weeks.

In a pivotal stretch for the Chiefs before the second-half schedule gets more challenging, Andy Reid and the coaching staff are likely to make personnel changes as necessary to maximize the team's success moving forward.

Just like we saw Isiah Pacheco take over the starting running back role last year around this time, other players could be elevated in the coming weeks to replace underperforming starters.

With that in mind, here are three players fighting for their jobs in Week 7 this Sunday vs. the Chargers:

3 Chiefs Players Fighting for Their Jobs in Week 7

1. Marquez Valdes-Scantling

My disdain for Valdes-Scantling's pitiful output is well-documented, but it's impossible to overstate how disappointing he's been this season. He's got seven catches for 116 yards on the entire season and this week may be his last chance to make a real impact.

Simply put, the Chargers' pass defense is horrible. After CeeDee Lamb toasted Los Angeles for 117 yards on Monday Night Football, Brandon Staley's secondary has now let eight different players notch at least 75 receiving yards.

The Chargers surrender 7.7 yards per pass play, the second-worst mark in the league to only the Broncos. If Valdes-Scantling can't make an impact against this defense, it's time to reduce his snap count.

Justin Watson's injury opens the door for the AFC Championship hero to get some targets, but his snap count will be impossible to justify if Valdes-Scantling doesn't produce this week.

Rashee Rice's excellent play of late demands more playing time. With the trade deadline coming up, the Chiefs could be active on the wide receiver market too.

Valdes-Scantling has the sixth-highest cap hit on the roster this season. So far, he's been an enormous waste of money and needs to produce to justify a spot on the roster in 2024.

While some players like this one are fighting for their jobs because of poor play, others are in a tough spot through no fault of their own.

2. Malik Herring/Mike Danna

Both of these defensive ends have played fantastic football, helping the Chiefs' defense rank second in opponent points per game (14.7) as one of the best units in the NFL. However, each player faces a crowded defensive line room full of quality pass rushers.

Kansas City's most anticipated offseason acquisition, Charles Omenihu, will make his debut this week after serving a six-game suspension for domestic violence. Omenihu compiled 4.5 sacks in limited playing time with the 49ers despite limited playing time last year and projects as the Chiefs' second-best defensive lineman behind Chris Jones.

I expect that Steve Spagnuolo will ease Omenihu into action, though as increased snap count in future weeks have to come at someone's expense.

Danna has been exceptional, so I expect Herring to be on the short end of the stick here. Herring hasn't eclipsed 38% of the snaps yet this year while Danna played at least 79% each of the last three weeks, so it seems likely Herring has more to prove.

George Karaftis took a leap forward and I don't see Spags cutting his snaps. Rookie first-rounder Felix Anudike-Uzomah is unlikely to make much of an impact moving forward, so the Chiefs' coaching staff will choose between Danna and Herring in the most competitive games moving forward.

Of course, Frank Clark's potential return looms large as well. Kansas City has the best kind of problem: too many good players.

You can never have too many pass rushers, though the Chiefs will test that theory over the next few months.

3. Kadarius Toney

I firmly believe that Toney and Rice are the Chiefs' best receivers, but Toney's concerning usage worries me that Kansas City views the former first-round pick as a "Super Mario Mushroom" version of Mecole Hardman instead of a legitimate wideout.

Toney has an NFL-low 2.2 yards in average depth per target. We saw against the Broncos how much the Chiefs relied on gadget plays to get Toney involved, as he had a palty nine yards on six targets. He scored a TD, but even that was a designed short-yardage play that required trickery.

When given the opportunity, Toney has produced. He's heavily involved in the offense, but I can't imagine the Chiefs intended to use him exactly like Hardman when they aquired him last year.

We saw in the Jacksonville game last season how effective Toney can be as a normal receiver. He can make contested catches and break tackles in space, making him a logical solution to Kansas City's issues in the passing game.

For whatever reason, the Chiefs are hesitant to involve Toney without those trick plays. His high target share shows the organization still believes in his talent, but I want to see Toney utilized like a standard receiver instead of the recent usage.

Toney has 17 receptions this year. Somehow, those 17 catches only traveled a combined NINE yards beyond the line of scrimmage. If the Chiefs aren't willing to utilize Toney downfield, the juice Brett Veach paid to acquire him last year won't be worth the squeeze.

BetMGM is giving Chiefs fans who bet $10 or more on this week's game vs. the Chargers an INSTANT $200 bonus! Win or lose, you'll get $200 just for trying. Simply use this link to sign up and bet $10 or more on any Chiefs bet, then you'll immediately be credited $200 in bonus bets to use freely. Lock in an automatic $200 before the offer expires - sign up for BetMGM now!

More Kansas City Chiefs News:

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.