KC Chiefs’ projected starting lineup: Mahomes, Kelce, Hill, sure. But who else?
In the months after the Chiefs captured the Super Bowl LIV championship, a rallying point emerged. The team was returning 20 of 22 starters from that victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
Only cornerback Kendall Fuller and offensive Stefan Wisniewski were off to new teams.
But when the Chiefs take the field Thursday against the Houston Texans in their season opener, the opener for the entire NFL, in fact, as many as seven positions in the Chiefs’ starting lineup could have new starters.
Developments over the offseason have changed some plans. Super Bowl hero Damien Williams, who rushed for 104 yards and scored the Chiefs’ final two touchdowns in their 31-20 defeat of the 49ers, has opted out of the season. So has guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif.
Also gone is linebacker Reggie Ragland, who started the Super Bowl because the Chiefs opened that day with three linebackers instead of five defensive backs.
Veteran safety Daniel Sorensen became a starter in the postseason when rookie Juan Thornhill was injured in December. Defensive tackle Tanoh Kpassagnon was a playoff starter, too.
Sorensen and Kpassagnon could start against the Texans, and the point remains: The Chiefs return plenty of firepower from a year ago, which is why they’re this season’s Super Bowl favorites.
Here’s a projection of what their starting lineup will look this season.
OFFENSE
QB: Patrick Mahomes
Set to begin his fourth year in Kansas City, third as a starter. With new contract, he’s poised to remain the starter for at least 14 years.
RB: Clyde Edwards-Helaire
First-round draft pick projected to become team’s first rookie running back to start since Kareen Hunt. And what a start it was for Hunt: an NFL-record 246 total yards in his debut game at New England.
WR: Tyreek Hill
Continues to take on challengers to his claim as the NFL’s fastest player. He had a career-low eight rushing attempts last season. Look for that number to increase in 2020.
WR: Sammy Watkins
Coming off such an odd year in terms of touchdowns. Watkins found the end zone three times in the 2019 opener and did not score again until the AFC Championship Game.
WR: Mecole Hardman
What can the fleet-footed Hardman do to top a Pro Bowl and NFL All-Rookie Team season? Look for him to grab more than 26 passes with a lofty yards-per-reception average.
TE: Travis Kelce
He’s on his way to a Hall of Fame career. The game doesn’t have a more productive pass-catching tight end, and now he’s become a playoff beast.
LT: Eric Fisher
An amazing stat: The Chiefs were 11-0 when Fisher was in their lineup in 2019 through eight regular-season and three playoff games.
LG: Keleche Osemele
Chiefs are hoping for the Raiders’ version of Osemele, when he was named to two Pro Bowls and the 2016 All-Pro team.
C: Austin Reiter
One of three offensive players to start every game last season (Kelce, Schwartz), Reiter has solidified his role on the Chiefs’ offensive line.
RG: Andrew Wylie
After returning from an injury, Wylie lost his starting job to Stefan Wisniewski for the playoff run. “It was hard,” Wylie said. He gets a chance to reclaim his job.
RT: Mitchell Schwartz
The amazing Schwartz missed three snaps in last year’s game at Tennessee, the only snaps he’s missed in his career. Never rewarded with a Pro Bowl, nobody plays his position better.
DEFENSE
DE: Frank Clark
He became what the Chiefs were hoping he’d be when they signed him to a big contract in 2019. Clark recorded eight sacks in 14 regular-season games, and five in their three playoff games.
DT: Chris Jones
The move to the inside in Steve Spagnuolo’s scheme suited Jones well. He was a stud in the Super Bowl and was rewarded this offseason with a lucrative contract.
DT: Derrick Nnadi
What did Nnadi do with his Super Bowl winnings? He kept a promise and paid for the adoption fees for more than 100 dogs at a Kansas City animal shelter.
DE: Alex Okafor
He was on his way to a terrific season when he tore a pectoral muscle and missed the end of the season, including the playoffs. Okafor had recorded five sacks in 10 games.
LB: Damien Wilson
In his first year with the Chiefs, Wilson proved to be a steady force, finishing second on the team in tackles (81) and leading their linebackers in snaps.
LB: Anthony Hitchens
His big play at Denver forced a fumble that became a touchdown, and he was credited with two sacks to help the Chiefs end a two-game losing streak.
LB: Ben Niemann
A strong training camp has elevated Niemann’s status and he’s in line for a bigger role on the defense. The third-year pro is growing more comfortable in the 4-3 scheme.
RCB: Charvarius Ward
Ward became a starter last season and will bid to take his place among the game’s top corners this fall. “Honestly, I feel like I can be one of the best young corners in the game,” he said.
SS: Tyrann Mathieu
Great leader who in his first year in a Chiefs uniform was named team MVP and an All-Pro. KC’s defense improved tremendously in the second half of the 2019 season. Mathieu was a big reason why.
FS: Juan Thornhill
The pain of missing the playoffs after suffering a torn ACL in the Chiefs’ 2019 regular-season finale should motivate Thornhill, an NFL All-Rookie Team selection, toward bigger things.
LCB: Rashad Fenton
As a rookie in 2019, he saw his first defensive snaps in Week 7 and continued to earn the coaches’ trust. The suspension of Bashaud Breeland means the Chiefs could give this slot corner a spot on the left side.
SPECIAL TEAMS
K: Harrison Butker
Coming off a season in which he led the NFL and set a team record with 147 points, Butker has made 89.7 percent of his field goals three seasons.
P: Tommy Townsend
Big shoes to fill for Townsend. He replaces 15-year veteran Dustin Colquitt. An undrafted free agent, Townsend averaged 44.8 yards per punt in two seasons at Florida.
LS: James Winchester
Set to begin his sixth year with the Chiefs, Winchester is a reliable long-snapper who’s been known to hustle downfield, make the tackle and even force a fumble in punt coverage.
Return specialist: Hardman
Hardman took over primary return duties as a rookie last season. His averages of 26.1 yards on kickoffs and 9.3 on punts helped earn him spots on the AFC Pro Bowl roster and NFL All-Rookie team.