It has been a rough fantasy ride for some big names, and two of the most frustrating belong to Saquon Barkley and Chiefs rookie Xavier Worthy. After an electric return game that teased weekly upside, Worthy’s finishes slid into the WR3 WR4 range, and managers waiting for the post-injury breakout have mostly been left hanging. The talent is obvious, and Patrick Mahomes has praised his juice, yet the consistency has not followed, which only magnifies Kansas City’s need to keep building a margin on defense while the passing game settles.
That is why league chatter has Kansas City circling Miami’s edge room, as an NFL rumor. The Chiefs are 5-3 and third in the AFC West, and the offense is finally humming with Worthy and Rashee Rice healthy, but the pass rush is very top-heavy with George Karlaftis and Chris Jones doing most of the lifting.
The NFL piece points to Jaelan Phillips as the kind of swing Brett Veach has taken before; injuries have dinged his explosiveness, the upside remains, and he is entering a contract year for a two-win Dolphins team. Add an athletic rusher to Steve Spagnuolo’s mix, and the stretch run gets a lot scarier for opponents.
Personnel attrition is part of the urgency, as ESPN notes. Felix Anudike Uzomah and rookie Omarr Norman Lott are both out for the season, wiping two rotation bodies off the defensive line, according to another NFL rumor.
Veach has patched in season before, Terrell Suggs in 2019, and Mike Pennel in 2023, and the expectation in the ESPN report is that Kansas City will add at least one more lineman before the postseason ramp. With Jones drawing slides and chips and Karlaftis carrying the only multi-sack total on the roster, a speed edge who can finish would change the picture fast.
The other side of this midseason glow-up is the skill group rediscovering rhythm. Rashee Rice explained after the Commanders' win on Monday night that taking a Wildcat snap near the goal line made him feel like Mahomes, a playful line that matched a night where he scored again and showcased motion, quick game, and red zone utility. His usage in short areas forces defenses to declare early, which only helps Worthy attack space over the top.
If Kansas City can land a Dolphins edge who can win on one and keep Rice and Worthy trending up, Spagnuolo’s defense and Andy Reid’s offense meet in the middle, and the Chiefs look like the version that shows up every January.
