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The Kansas City Chiefs released their first unofficial depth chart of the regular season as they prepare for a Week 1 matchup against the Broncos. There's an emphasis on the word unofficial because these listings won't mean a thing a few weeks from now, but they do give fans a general idea of where most players currently stand.
Although there aren't any breathtaking surprises on the list, there are certainly a few head-scratchers that could leave Chiefs fans with some questions — we'll get to a few of those in a moment. Regardless, here are the three biggest things that stand out from K.C.'s depth chart for the opener.
The Kansas City Chiefs released their first "unofficial" depth chart of the 2026 NFL season ahead of Week 1 vs. the Denver Broncos. pic.twitter.com/7PSPB5NlE1
— Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) September 8, 20263. One Key Wide Receiver Listed as a Backup
The wide receiving corps features a three-man starting group of Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton. Behind them are Jalen Royals, Nikko Remigio and Cyrus Allen, with the fifth-round rookie surprisingly listed behind Thornton despite the hype surrounding him in recent weeks.
This shouldn't come as a massive surprise to anyone who's monitored Chiefs depth charts over the years. Even Mansoor Delane, the No. 6 overall pick in this year's draft, was listed as the CB2 behind Nohl Williams when the team released its initial preseason depth chart in August.
With that said, Allen being listed behind Thornton is still notable considering the impressive training camp and preseason he had. It appears he'll need to prove himself a little more to the coaching staff before he can officially take over as the team's third wideout, though that may not take long if Thornton and Royals fail to produce early in the season.
2. Felix Anudike-Uzomah’s Time to Shine?
Ashton Gillotte and George Karlaftis were named the two starting defensive ends on the outside. However, Gillotte's status for Week 1 is still in jeopardy as he works his way back from a ruptured plantar fascia he suffered in training camp.
Former Oklahoma speed rusher R Mason Thomas flashed his incredible potential throughout the preseason with several highlight-reel plays, but he still has a ways to go before he can be considered an every-down player. For now, fourth-year lineman Felix Anudike-Uzomah is listed directly behind Gillotte and would presumably start if Gillotte can't suit up Monday night.
FAU missed the entirety of last season with a hamstring injury, and he hasn't exactly proven himself during his time on the field either. The 2023 first-round pick has totaled just three sacks, eight tackles for loss, and 24 solo tackles across three seasons in Kansas City.
Aug 9, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah (91) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Chiefs declined Anudike-Uzomah's fifth-year option this offseason, meaning he's entering a contract year and could be playing his final season with the team. He's shown flashes of being a talented player when healthy, so he'll need to find a way to maintain a meaningful share of the defensive end snaps once Gillotte returns.
1. Offensive Line Mix-Up
The wonkiest part of this depth chart has to be the offensive line. The two-deep features several players in spots that aren't necessarily where most would expect them to be, which will become a concern if the Chiefs are forced to eventually use this combination.
The hottest topic in K.C. right now is Josh Simmons' back injury, and undrafted free agent Kahlil Benson being listed directly behind him indicates he'd be the next man up at left tackle if Simmons can't play. That echoes Andy Reid's sentiment from his Tuesday press conference, which essentially suggested the same idea.
This would be a pretty significant assignment for Benson, who played right tackle and right guard during his time at Indiana. Now, he's potentially being asked to protect Patrick Mahomes' blind side against All-Pro Nik Bonitto in his first NFL game back from a torn ACL.
Jaylon Moore has primarily played left tackle throughout his NFL career, yet the Chiefs are keeping him at right tackle. Backup right tackle Diego Pounds also played on the left side during his time at Ole Miss.
It feels like the coaching staff started playing mix-and-match when putting together this O-line depth chart. Of course, we'll repeat this again: this is the unofficial depth chart. It could look considerably different once the Chiefs actually take the field Monday night, and it surely will change as the season progresses.
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