The Kansas City Chiefs have barely missed a beat offensively this season without Tyreek Hill. As their newest playmaking weapon makes his debut on Sunday, expect the Chiefs to be even more dangerous both in Week 9 and going forward.
Andy Reid spoke with media on Friday, answering “I think so” when asked if wide receiver Kadarius Toney would be active for Sunday's primetime matchup against the Tennessee Titans.
Kansas City traded for Toney last week, sending third and sixth-round picks to the New York Giants in exchange for the talented but mercurial 2021 first-round pick. Toney has been sidelined since Week 2 with a hamstring injury, but revealed on Twitter shortly after the trade was complete that he was healthy enough to play, recently sitting out due to differences he had with New York's coaching staff instead of his health.
Toney's likely status for Sunday's game comes as no surprise. What's still unclear, though, is just how big a role he'll play in Reid's notoriously complicated offensive system, one that asks more of its wide receivers than any other in the NFL.
The Chiefs' rebuilt receiving corps has found its groove of late, with JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling each surpassing 100 yards through the air in their team's blowout win over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 7. Mecole Hardman scored three touchdowns, too, and core special-teamer Justin Watson also found pay dirt on a red-zone strike from Mahomes.
Don't expect to see Toney on the field for a majority of the Chiefs' offensive snaps against the Titans. Reid will likely scheme up a couple quick-hitting plays that take advantage of Toney's unique running ability after the catch, and perhaps send him deep on occasions to further threaten Tennessee's defense. Toney could also serve as Kansas City's punt returner due to the continued struggles rookie wideout Skyy Moore has endured playing that role over the first half of the season.
Either way, Toney's best, most productive days with the Chiefs will come in the future—either later this season or next year, once he has enough time and experience to truly grasp the intricacies of Kansas City's offense.
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