Kansas City Chiefs 2009 Fantasy Football Preview

The 2009 Kansas City Chiefs will sport a completely new look from 2008 and those changes start at the top. Gone are 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 ex-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 have another successful season or will it be a flop? I examine these questions and more when I look at Kansas City’s fantasy potential heading into 2009.

Cassel was one of the biggest surprises of the 2008 NFL season as he replaced the injured Tom Brady and threw for 3,693 yards with 21 TDs and just 11 INTs. 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 back-to-back 400-yard games during the fantasy playoffs. Also, Cassel almost killed me and barely got away in the championship round when he had 4 TD passes against the Raiders. Luckily, he had a complete enough team to get past him, but needless to say, he was a little worried seeing him play 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 to 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 No. 1 fantasy QB on a week-to-week basis.

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 seems to have had his prime. I know 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 in a terrible offense and having numerous off-the-field issues that culminated in a suspension. Johnson finished the year rushing for 874 yards and 5 TDs. Johnson did show glimpses of his old self at times, namely the Week 4 game against Denver when he galloped for 198 yards and 2 touchdowns, but it was mostly a disappointment to the former Penn St. product and the owners who drafted him. . Johnson stated throughout the 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 think 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 in Jamal Charles and Kolby Smith, and none 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 some edge this year, especially if you can get him in the 5-6 round range. , which is where it’s been predominantly going in the mock drafts I’ve been participating in. I think the off-the-field issues and resulting poor season humbled Johnson and I hope he bounces back a bit. Some people compare him to LT, but there is no comparison, as LT has had a lot more carries in his career than Johnson, and as such, he could be closer to the end. Just stay safe with LJ. Don’t reach too high for him and if you do, make sure you handcuff him to Charles with a late pick for insurance. Smith has no draft value at the time of publication.

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, which was a slight improvement over his rookie season. There are some receivers that seem to have it and Bowe seems to be one of those receivers. The third-year pro from LSU is a great road runner, has great hands and appears to be a good-natured guy who is very capable of coaching. Plus, he’s 6’2″ 221, which gives him the ability to win jumps off defenders. I expect Bowe to have another solid season, as most NFL wide receivers seem to break out in their third year. Claim him as a number 2. option, but don’t be surprised if he performs better than that with Cassel and Haley now in Kansas City There’s not much else in the way of KC wide receivers in regards to fantasy potential As mentioned, the legendary Chief Gonzalez now he’s an Atlanta Falcon leaving KC with virtually no one at the TE position and Mark Bradley and Bobby Engram represent nothing more than emergency gap-stopping options for your fantasy squad In short, look for Bowe to statistically break under Haley but avoid all of Chief’s other receivers.

The Chiefs have been terrible the past few years on defense, but I think that should start to change this year, especially if Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson play the way they’re capable of. Picking Jackson over Aaron Curry is a stretch if you ask me, and the Chiefs made that selection 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 spot during training camp. That concludes my examination of the Chiefs’ fantasy prospects heading into 2009. Next step: The San Diego Chargers.