Chiefs’ Hidden Weapon: How a Late-Round Rookie Could Shock Everyone in Week 1
The 2025 NFL campaign will begin this week, and the Kansas City Chiefs will begin their slate of primetime games against the Los Angeles Chargers on Friday, getting streamed on YouTube. But ahead of the game, some questions still remain for the Chiefs.
One of the bigger questions that remains for the Chiefs is how their 2025 NFL Draft class will be utilized throughout the season. It's well-known at this point that their first round draft pick, Josh Simmons, will be on the offensive line at left tackle more often than not, but what about the others?
Aug 9, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Josh Simmons (71) and tight end Travis Kelce (87) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
An underrated rookie who could be a player to watch in Week 1 is the Chiefs' seventh-round draft pick in running back Brashard Smith. Smith showed that he can be utilized in several areas of the game, but which area should he be used in the most against the Chargers?
Smith has experience as a wide receiver, a running back, and a special teams contributor. This will only increase his chances of seeing playing time as much as possible. With a running back room consisting of three players on one-year deals (Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt, and Elijah Mitchell), Smith might need to find another avenue for success.
Aug 22, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Brashard Smith (30) returns a kickoff during the first half against the Chicago Bears at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Dave Toub has a ton of speedy players to use in the punt or kick return game this season, including Smith.
Being a rookie, the Chiefs could use Smith in the ground game early in the game against the Chargers, until the defenders catch on to his rookie tendencies. But when it comes down to the best place for Smith to contribute early this season, it seems to be on special teams.
Aug 9, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Brashard Smith (30) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
His speed was a big asset in why the Chiefs brought Smith into the organization, and with his evasiveness in his running routes, Smith could be rotated in and out of that position until he showcases he can be trusted with several carries.
AFC Notes: J.K. Dobbins, Bo Nix, Broncos, Chargers
Broncos
Bo Nix is entering the second year of his career after his breakout rookie campaign in 2024. Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning is confident Nix is “made of the right stuff” to continue being a highly successful quarterback.
“Bo is made of the right stuff. He’s a little bit older, carries himself the right way. And all of it should help as he moves forward in his career,” Manning said, via Troy Renck of the Denver Post. “I am just happy that Bo is the established starter. For a number of years, they had quarterback competitions. That’s hard on the receivers, the coaches, the play-caller, and the quarterback. Now, they’ve got their guy.”
Manning thinks Nix showed talent beyond his years as a rookie.
“I just don’t see that as being a big factor for him. Rookie quarterbacks are supposed to struggle, and then the game slows down. But, it sure looked like it slowed down a lot for him last year,” Manning said. “Like with C.J. Stroud, Bo didn’t play like a rookie. … I believe experience is the best teacher, and he got great experience last year.”
Manning added that playing under Sean Payton for a second season should be beneficial for Nix.
“The continuity, more than anything else. There are times when guys go into their second year, and they are going on their third coordinator,” Manning said. “He has an experienced head coach in Sean, who is his play-caller. Having that same voice and verbiage is so critical. We expect Sean to be here for a long time, so Bo will use that to his advantage.”
Broncos
Broncos RB J.K. Dobbins had a resurgence in his career after missing 2022 with a knee injury and 2023 with a torn Achilles. His surgeon, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, said he grew a close relationship with Dobbins and praised him for his perseverance.
“I can’t say enough about him,” ElAttrache said, via Luca Evans of The Denver Post. “I mean, he’s the kind of guy that I would like to have as a friend forever. He’s that kind of person.”
ElAttrache pointed out that damaged ligaments can never return to their previous health, but Dobbins has worked hard on his rehab.
“You never want to expect they’re going to be 22 years old again,” ElAttrache said. “You can’t turn back the clock and go before, when he was that number one (running back) for the Ravens. But, having said that, his performance was still right there.”
Chargers
Chargers DC Jesse Minter still holds on to rejection letters from graduate assistant jobs that he applied to across the country, accumulating 98 in total. Minter said the rejections are a reminder to be grateful for where he is now.
“Because that’s just how I operate,” Minter said, via Daniel Popper of The Athletic. “It’s just that reminder of the joy that it is, the blessing that it is, the opportunity that you have, not to take it for granted and not to ever feel like you’ve arrived.”
Minter said he’s always tried to operate without an ego and build a culture of letting people know their value.
“A lot of coaches have crazy egos, and I think there’s a difference in being confident in yourself and sure of yourself, and then having an ego,” Minter said. “I’ve always tried really, really hard to not have an ego, to really try to build a situation where everybody feels like they have value, where everybody feels like they’re part of the success.”
- Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Chargers RB Najee Harris participated in three-straight practices last week and was cleared for contact on Friday.
