Chiefs receiver depth chart rundown
The player pictured above is Chiefs wideout Mark Bradley. After being released by Chicago, Bradley was acquired via a two-year deal for the minimum on October 1. He easily passed Devard Darling and Jeff Webb on the depth chart despite barely knowing the offense. Picking up eight starts down the stretch, Bradley finished with 30 receptions for 380 yards (12.7 YPC) and three scores.
Here is a look at the Chiefs' current receiver depth chart:
X (split end) - Dwayne Bowe / Terrance Copper / Quinten Lawrence* / Taurus Johnson*
Z (flanker) - Mark Bradley / Devard Darling / Jeff Webb / C.J. Jones / Rodney Wright
Y (slot) - Bobby Engram
* = rookie
Lawrence, the Chiefs' sixth-round pick out of McNeese State, is only being looked at as a return prospect. Johnson is an undrafted free agent. Wright, Jones, and Copper are special teamers. Webb offers pretty good hands and size, but caught only five passes last season and is a fourth-receiver type.
Kansas City has serious depth issues at wideout and is relying heavily on Bowe, Bradley, and Engram. There is also a massive amount of targets to make up with Tony Gonzalez gone. Gonzalez led all tight ends with 154 passes thrown his way last season. New Chiefs starting TE Brad Cottam will be a blocker.
Top receiver Bowe, playing Larry Fitzgerald's old split end position in new coach Todd Haley's offense, is the most obvious candidate to see increased looks. Engram will also command Matt Cassel's attention.
Bradley, the 39th overall pick out of Oklahoma in 2005, is locked in as a starter and will play the role of Anquan Boldin. Injuries, mostly to his knee, cost Bradley 11 games in his first three seasons and he obviously isn't on Boldin's level as a player. But when healthy he should see 7-10 targets per game. The 27-year-old will be worth drafting in all leagues. He has stayed off the shelf this offseason and has the talent to be a fantasy factor in Haley's shotgun-heavy spread. Bradley is the ideal late-round flier pick; a high-upside WR5.
Comments
the targets will be there considering the lack of other options and their poor defense allowing them to play catch up, and the competent ability of Haley and Cassell to stage a passing offense
Posted by: scott c | June 9, 2009 11:42 AM
well put Scott C. The receiver depth chart is relevant this year (unlike last year's, when devard darling was a starter) because Haley runs a receiver-friendly, tight end-unfriendly offense. someone besides Bowe is likely to be a fantasy factor. engram is 36 but should be thrown to often in the slot. bradley is talented enough to flirt with 70 receptions if he can somehow stay healthy.
Posted by: evan | June 9, 2009 11:48 AM
Although I basically agree with scott c, the reference to Bradley and a bunch of guys with question marks should be taken with a grain of salt. Doesn't Bradley's PROFOUND inability to stay healthy constitute a question mark in anyone else's mind?
Posted by: Juggs | June 9, 2009 01:56 PM
point taken. they all have question marks, but i think bradley only needs to be on the field to be productive, given as we've discussed. engram didnt look the same last year after his injury so maybe time has caught up to him. the lack of FA interest was glaring, but i could be wrong. he could be the better bet but id go bradley. like one poster mentioned previously, hes low risk - high ceiling (PPR)
Posted by: scott c | June 9, 2009 02:32 PM
point taken. they all have question marks, but i think bradley only needs to be on the field to be productive, given as we've discussed. engram didnt look the same last year after his injury so maybe time has caught up to him. the lack of FA interest was glaring, but i could be wrong. he could be the better bet but id go bradley. like one poster mentioned previously, hes low risk - high ceiling (PPR). maybe a L.Moore of this year.
Posted by: scott c | June 9, 2009 02:33 PM
Devard Darling is running as the starting WR right now, not Bradley but he should pass him on the depth chart. Todd Haley has came out and said that they plan on using Lawrence as a receiver and a returner but mostly as a receiver so you are wrong about him being strictly special teams.
Posted by: Blake | June 9, 2009 03:11 PM
Thanks for the input, Blake, but no I'm not wrong about Lawrence.
http://www.kansascity.com/sports/chiefs/story/1194224.html
"(Lawrence is...) trying to be the first Chiefs player to adequately replace (Dante) Hall as the kick-return specialist."
"Lawrence is part of the Chiefs’ plan to upgrade their feeble special teams."
“They’ve got me returning punts and kickoffs right now,” Lawrence said. “Special teams is a very important part of the game."
Lawrence's receiver credentials: McNeese State, eight catches as a senior, sixth-round pick.
Posted by: evan | June 9, 2009 03:28 PM