Kansas City Chiefs 2021 starting lineup projections ahead of training camp
With training camp fast approaching, rosters will be trimmed with players shuffled around the depth chart as Week 1 approaches. The Kansas City Chiefs have a few positions to finalize during pre-season position battles, including defensive end, safety and right tackle.
Ahead of training camp, here are the projections for the Kansas City Chiefs' starting lineup for 2021.
2021 Kansas City Chiefs starting lineup
Quarterback - Patrick Mahomes
Patrick Mahomes took the Kansas City Chiefs to two straight Super Bowls and is poised to make it three in 2021. He's PFF's #1 QB heading into the season, has been PFF's highest-graded QB for the last three years and is just 25 years old.
He had a 14-1 record in 2020 with 4,740 passing yards, 38 TDs and six INTs, and almost captured another MVP award.
Running back - Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Clyde Edwards-Helaire is PFF's 28th-best RB. He didn't have as big of a rookie year as the Kansas City Chiefs had hoped for. In 13 games, he had 181 carries for 803 yards and four TDs.
He will spend more time in the backfield and see more targets as a receiver as the main RB with less competition for carries.
Wide receivers - Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman, Demarcus Robinson
Tyreek "The Cheetah" Hill is one of the best deep threats in the league and in four years, has 56 catches on targets of 20+ yards (2,240 yards and 25 TDs - all leading the NFL). In 2020, he had a career-high 15 TDs and has 5,391 yards and 47 TDs through five years.
Mecole Hardman was a second-round pick in 2019 and was a PWFA All-Rookie while also making the Pro Bowl as a rookie. Hardman is also the lead return specialist and should have his best year with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2021 (538 receiving yards and six TDs in 2019, 560 receiving yards and five TDs in 2021).
Demarcus Robinson has been with the Kansas City Chiefs since 2016 and was brought back on a one-year deal. He hasn't topped 500 yards in five years but will see a full season in the slot.
Tight end - Travis Kelce
Travis Kelce is PFF's top tight end with 2,639 yards after the catch, the most by any TE through the last five seasons. At 32, Kelce remains one of the most dangerous TEs and a top target for the Kansas City Chiefs with five straight 1,000-yard seasons. He had a career year in 2020 with 105 catches, 1,416 yards, 11 TDs and 13.5 yards per catch.
Offensive line - LT Orlando Brown Jr, LG Joe Thuney, C Creed Humphrey, RG Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, RT Mike Remmers
The Kansas City Chiefs traded a first-round pick to the Baltimore Ravens to bring Orlando Brown Jr on board. Brown is coming off his best season in three years as the only tackle to start 16 games and not post a PFF grade below 60. He's also entering a contract year and the Chiefs will look to pay him handsomely in the hope he can live up to the hype.
Joe Thuney left the New England Patriots behind after allowing just three sacks in three seasons and is a great run blocker. The Kansas City Chiefs gave him a five-year, $80 million contract and Thuney should help CEH find better run lanes to 1,000 yards.
Creed Humphrey was drafted in the second round in April and will compete with Austin Blythe, but should win the job as the starter. He was a two-time Big-12 Offensive Lineman of the Year as part of one of the best offenses in the NCAA with Oklahoma.
Kyle Long was injured in OTAs and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif returns as a starter after opting out to help battle COVID-19. He should ease back into a starting role with the Kansas City Chiefs but may lose the spot when Long is able to return.
Lucas Niang opted out in 2020 as well after being drafted in the third round and still needs to prove himself. Mike Remmers has experience as a starter on the OL and is versatile, but Niang could take over later in the season.
Defensive ends - Taco Charlton, Mike Danna
Frank Clark's multiple felony gun charges will likely keep him from suiting up in Week 1. Taco Charlton started games for the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins, but played in seven games for the Kansas City Chiefs last year with zero starts, two sacks and seven tackles. He should be able to play well enough to be a starter this year and can rotate in and out with the promising Tim Ward if need be.
Mike Danna is one of the best on the roster against the run. Expect a sharp decline in the Kansas City Chiefs' total sack count and the amount of pressure on the QB.
Defensive tackles - Chris Jones, Jarran Reed
Chris Jones is the second-best DT behind Aaron Donald, according to PFF. Jones is also second in sacks since 2018 with 32 in total. He'll have to carry the load now without Frank Clark out of the picture.
Derrick Nnadi was a starter last season for the Kansas City Chiefs but Jarran Reed is more productive at the position with 6.5 sacks in 2020 and 22 in five seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks released him a year into his two-year, $23 million deal.
Linebackers - Willie Gay Jr., Anthony Hitchens, Nick Bolton
Willie Gay Jr. was a second-round pick in 2020 and had eight starts as a rookie: three passes defended, a forced fumble, a sack and 39 tackles. He's ready for a bigger role in year two with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Anthony Hitchens signed a five-year, $45 million deal in 2018. He played in 14 games last year with no sacks, 78 tackles and one pass deflected. Hitchens is great against the run game but needs to be better in coverage and putting pressure on QBs.
Nick Bolton was the Kansas City Chiefs' second-round pick this year and a two-time All-SEC player. He's a fast, violent tackler who had 95 tackles, eight tackles for loss and two sacks in his final year at Missouri. He'll be thrown into a starting role and will aid up front with blitzing.
Cornerbacks - L'Jarius Sneed, Charvarius Ward, Rashad Felton
L'Jarius Sneed was a fourth-round pick in 2020 and was one of the best rookie CBs from his draft class. He missed six games but didn't lose any of his momentum. He posted the third-lowest completion percentage (46.5) among all defenders.
Charvarius Ward has grown from a UDFA to a significant starter for the Kansas City Chiefs. In 2019, he had two INTs, 10 passes defended and 74 tackles. In 2020, he had just six passes defended, one sack and 51 tackles.
Rashad Felton will play as the slot cornerback and had the second-best CB grade behind Sneed.
Safeties - Tyrann Mathieu, Juan Thornhill
Tyrann Mathieu was PFF's 11th-best safety as a versatile playmaker on the field and the main guy in the secondary for the Kansas City Chiefs. He can play slot CB, deep safety and in the box. He's too smart on the field for most WRs and can jump their routes all too often. He had six INTs, nine passes defended and 62 tackles last season.
Juan Thornhill is a true deep-ball safety with great range and started all 16 games in 2019 and eight in 2020. He had four INTs, eight passes defended and 99 tackles through two seasons. Thornhill allows Mathieu and Daniel Sorensen to play several roles on the field.
Special teams - P Tommy Townsend, K Harrison Butker
Punter Tommy Townsend was 23rd in the league with 52 punts and 23rd with 45 yards per punt. Kicker Harrison Butker nailed 25/27 FGs and 48/54 XPs. He was 4/4 from 50 yards or more, helping the Kansas City Chiefs win a few close games.