The 2009 Kansas City Chiefs will sport an all-new 2008 look and those changes start at the top. Gone were Carl Peterson and Herman Edwards and in their place came former Patriot Scott Pioli and former Cardinal offensive coordinator turned head coach Todd Haley, respectively. Also, the Chiefs have a new starting quarterback in former patriot Matt Cassel and the three rookies will try to bring some excitement back to a franchise that has been the doormat for years. What impact will Cassel have on the rest of the Chiefs in terms of fantasy? Will Kassel he have another successful season or will he be a fiasco? I examine these questions and more as I look at Kansas City’s fantasy potential going into 2009.
Cassel was one of the biggest surprises of the 2008 NFL season filling in for the injured Tom Brady and passing for 3,693 yards with 21 TDs and just 11 INT. The numbers are all the more impressive when you consider that Cassel hadn’t started a game since high school when he found himself in the spotlight. Cassel’s performance down the stretch helped countless fantasy owners win titles by going for consecutive 400-yard games during the fantasy playoffs. Also, Cassel almost killed me and barely got away from me in the championship round when he had 4 TD passes against the Raiders. Fortunately, he had a complete enough team to overcome him, but needless to say, he was a little worried watching his game against my Raiders. Cassel played his heart out for Josh McDipshit last year, but now he comes to a team looking for an offensive identity. In terms of weapons, Cassel has some, but not in excess. WR Dwayne Bowe is entering his third year and should be a star. Bowe will unequivocally be Cassel’s number one target, especially after TE Tony Gonzalez’s departure for Atlanta. Gonzalez’s departure is a huge loss for the Chiefs and especially for Cassel, as the young quarterback certainly would have often been seen as a veteran. Cassel has Haley setting him up, but overall, I wouldn’t bet his fantasy teams’ chances on him this year. He’s a decent option for a No. 2 QB, but too many questions surround him to be considered a solid week-to-week No. 1 fantasy QB.
Historically, the Chiefs’ running game has been the team’s strength, as Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson have had monster seasons for the club. Holmes is long gone, Johnson seems to be back in 2009 but he will be 30 years old and he seems to be past his prime. I know this because I actually used my second pick on LJ thinking it was still a good value at the time. Things never worked out for him in 2009 due to several variables, including playing a terrible offense and having numerous off-field problems that culminated in suspension. Johnson finished the year rushing for 874 yards and 5 TDs. Johnson sometimes showed flashes of his former self, namely the week 4 game against Denver when he galloped for 198 yards and 2 scores, but it was mostly a disappointment to the former Penn St. product and the owners who drafted him. Johnson stated all year and most of the offseason that he wanted out of KC, but he seemed to change his mind once Piloi and Haley came on board. Honestly, I really don’t know what to make of LJ heading into 2009. I don’t think he’s done yet, as he sat behind the aforementioned Holmes for several years before finally getting a chance at him. Plus, the Chiefs don’t really have many backups behind LJ with Jamal Charles and Kolby Smith, and neither are going to strike fear into defenses. Right now, I see LJ as a good No. 3 RB or Flex option with the potential to move up to a No. 2 option. I think LJ has a bit of an advantage this year, especially if you can put him in the 5-6 round range, which is where he’s been predominantly going in the mock drafts I’ve been participating in. I think the problems off the field and the resulting poor season humbled Johnson and hopefully he will bounce back a bit. Some people compare him to LT, but there’s no comparison, as LT has had a lot more carries in his career than Johnson, and because of that, he might be closer to the bottom. Just stay safe with LJ. Don’t reach too high, and if you do, be sure to handcuff him to Charles with a late pick for insurance. Smith has no draft value at press time.
WR Bowe appears poised for stardom in his junior year and could benefit greatly from Cassel’s presence at QB. Bowe caught 86 passes for 1,022 yards and 7 TDs, a slight improvement over his rookie season. There are some receivers who seem to have it, and Bowe seems to be one of those receivers. The LSU third-year pro is a great route runner, has great hands and appears to be a good-natured guy and very capable of coaching. Plus, he’s 6’2″ 221, which gives him the ability to win jumps with defensemen. I expect Bowe to have another solid season, as most receivers in the NFL seem to stand out in their junior year. Take him as the No. 2 choice, but don’t be surprised if he performs better than that with Cassel and Haley now in Kansas City. There’s not much else coming the way for KC receivers in terms of fantasy potential. The position of TE and Mark Bradley and Bobby Engrams represent nothing more than emergency gap-stopping options for your fantasy squad. In short, look for Bowe to break statistically under Haley but avoid all other Chief receivers.
The Chiefs have been terrible in recent years on defense, but I think that should start to change this year, especially if Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson play the way they are capable of. Picking Jackson over Aaron Curry is a stretch if you ask me and the Chiefs made that pick based solely on the defensive scheme they play. Look for the Chiefs to improve defensively this year, but there are much better options available in terms of consistent DST production. Rookie Ryan Succop and Connor Barth will battle for the kicking job during training camp. That concludes my examination of the Chiefs’ 2009 fantasy prospects. Next up: The San Diego Chargers.
