Four players to watch in the Chiefs-Chargers season-opener
Here are four players to watch on Sunday in the Chiefs-Chargers opener at Los Angeles. Kickoff is at 3:05 p.m. Central time.
No. 17, QB Philip Rivers
36 years old, 6-5, 228 pounds, 15th season
The Chargers quarterback has lost eight in a row to the Chiefs, but that’s largely thanks to KC’s secondary. With that position in flux, Rivers could have more success this time around. Entering his 15th season in the NFL, Rivers is coming off of one of his best seasons. He threw 10 interceptions to 28 touchdowns last season, and this year he’ll also be bolstered by the return of tight end Antonio Gates. Rivers has thrown 87 touchdowns to Gates — the most ever for a quarterback-and-tight end pair. Because Gates was a late addition to the team, he may take limited snaps, but he’ll be a good security blanket for Rivers.
No. 33, S Derwin James
22 years old, 6-2, 215 pounds, 1st season
The rookie safety isn’t listed as the starter on the Chargers’ unofficial depth chart, but that doesn’t mean he won’t see the field on Sunday. Pro Football Focus graded James’ preseason as the fifth-best out of the 2018 first-round draft picks. He started the third preseason game and intercepted Drew Brees on the Saints’ opening drive. He’s a versatile talent and he has the ability to lineup at free safety, strong safety and weak-side linebacker in some packages. He could end up going against tight end Travis Kelce frequently, making for a pretty fun battle to keep an eye on.
No. 27, RB Kareem Hunt
23 years old, 5-11, 216 pounds, 2nd season
Hunt had his two best rushing games of his breakout rookie season against the Chargers. In the first, Hunt ran for 172 yards and averaged a whopping 10.12 yards per carry. In the next, Hunt ran for 155 yards and 6.46 yards per carry. This time around, he won’t be able to take teams by surprise. He’s entering his second season in the NFL, and there’s plenty of tape on him. Will that matter or will he be able to run all over the Chargers again? With a rookie quarterback, establishing the run game will be crucial for the Chiefs, and Hunt’s success could dictate the outcome.
No. 23, CB Kendall Fuller
23 years old, 5-11, 198 pounds, 3rd season
Rivers struggled last season against Marcus Peters, throwing six interceptions total in two games against the Chiefs. With Peters gone, the Chiefs have to get takeaways from somewhere else ... and offseason acquisition Fuller could be the guy to do it. The cornerback, who had four interceptions with Washington last season, primarily plays on the inside, but coach Andy Reid didn’t rule out the possibility of moving him to the outside. He also said that the Chiefs will have a third corner on the field at least 70 percent of the time. For the Chiefs to win, Fuller will need to be a major factor in creating turnovers.
Brooke Pryor
Brooke Pryor covers the Kansas City Chiefs and NFL for The Star.
This story was originally published September 7, 2018 at 1:18 PM.