With each passing day, we inch a little bit closer to football season.
On this Fourth of July holiday, we’re celebrating the Kansas City Chiefs skill players who will be bringing the offensive fireworks to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium next season. The Chiefs have diversified their offensive talent this year and have some explosive weapons that will help shape the identity of the offense in 2022.
Below we’re counting down five of the team’s most explosive offensive skill players for the 2022 NFL season:
5
RB Isiah Pacheco
AP Photo/Charlie Riedel
Pacheco will be the only running back making this list, but consider both Jerick McKinnon and Derrick Gore as honorable mentions. A seventh-round draft pick, Pacheco tied Pierre Strong Jr. as the fastest running back at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine, running a 4.37s 40-yard dash. His speed and explosiveness have been noticeable on the practice field during OTAs and mandatory minicamp, most notably as a receiver out of the backfield and on the kick return unit.
4
WR Justin Watson
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
The hype for Justin Watson has gone national in recent weeks, with Network’s Peter Schrager naming him as a receiver to watch in Kansas City. A standout for the University of Pennsylvania, Watson had a 13.3 yards per reception average over the course of his record-setting career. In the NFL with the Buccaneers, he played offense sparingly, with just 23 career catches for 258 yards and two touchdowns over four career seasons. After watching him at early offseason workouts in Texas with Patrick Mahomes, APEC’s Bobby Stroupe said, “This dude can flat out fly.” Mahomes himself called Watson a “pleasant surprise” during OTAs, citing his speed as something he didn’t quite expect.
3
WR Mecole Hardman
AP Photo/Peter Aiken
Hardman can use his 4.33 speed to get vertical, but last year the team utilized him as a weapon with the ball in his hands. In 2021, Hardman had the second-most yards after the catch per reception with 12.6 among receivers with at least 35 catches per Pro Football Focus. His acceleration is probably the most impressive of any receiver in the Kansas City offense this upcoming season and getting him the ball quickly in space could pay dividends again in…
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