Chiefs A.A. : Kansas City Chiefs Power Rankings: Pre-Camp Edition

Ace Gunner · 07-19-2012, 10:47 AM

Since they are so often ignored and disrespected in power rankings columns around the NFL, I thought that this year it would be fun to introduce a new feature to Arrowhead Addict that I’m calling the “Kansas City Chiefs Power Rankings.”

Throughout the season, we often see a player’s stock rise and fall. For instance, Justin Houston appeared to have high value last preseason. Then, once the season began, I imagine his ranking would have fallen significantly before rising back up.

I thought it would be fun to do these each week and to see which player comes out on top at the end of the year. These rankings won’t be based on just talent alone. How a guy is playing will be very important. He may be one of the best players on the defense but if Tamba Hali struggles for a couple of games, he may see his ranking tanking. That doesn’t mean he’ll fall down below a guy like Cameron Sheffield, but he may see a drop until he resumes his dominance.

We’ll do 32 rankings to match the number of teams in the NFL.

Without further ado, I present the pre-camp Kansas City Chiefs Power Rankings!

1. Derrick Johnson

The call between one and two was tough but DJ is at the height of his powers. His ability to not only stuff the run (remember the Raiders goal-line stand last season) and pick off balls gave him a slight edge. DJ at his best really can do it all and he’s at his very best right now.

2. Tamba Hali

I really could have flipped a coin here. Hali is so consistent and so dominant that he easily could have been number one. Following his big year in 2010, teams paid even more attention to Hali in 2011. The emergence of Justin Houston and the addition of Dontari Poe should make him even more dangerous. His performance against the Packers last season was inspiring.

3. Dwayne Bowe

Inconsistencies and contract issues aside, if you want to win in the NFL you have to score points and Dwayne Bowe moves the chains.

4. Brandon Flowers

Flowers has been teasing us for a few years now. He’s very, very good but he has never been able to put together that really elite season. Part of the reason may be that he plays through injuries. Regardless, Flowers is a key member of this defense and one of the most talented players on the roster.

5. Eric Winston

Winston could end up higher on this list later this season. We’ll have to wait and see how he looks playing in a Chiefs uniform in a new offense but as a Texan Winston was one of the best RTs in the NFL. #5 isn’t a bad debut.

6. Jamaal Charles

Charles is another player who could easily top this list. His importance to KC’s offense is underrated to everyone outside of Chiefs Nation. The Chiefs missed Moeaki and Berry last season but make no mistake, if Jamaal Charles played the entire season the Chiefs would have won the West. This guy is special.

7. Eric Berry

Berry is coming back and if he is able to quickly shake off the rust, the Chiefs defense could very well go from good to great. This guy has the potential to be the best safety in the NFL.

8. Peyton Hillis

Hillis is coming off a poor year, sure, but we need to consider that he was playing in a Browns offense that was absolutely putrid. He has some injury concerns but when right, make no mistake, this guy is the real deal. He runs tough, he’s a load to bring down and he has rare athleticism for a man his size. He will be immensely important to KC’s prospects in 2012. Think Thomas Jones in 2010. The only think is, the 2012 version of Peyton Hillis should be much better than the 2010 version of Jones.

9. Justin Houston

Houston is riding high following a strong finish tot he 2011 season. If he can keep the good times rolling in 2012, you’ll see him shooting up this list. Though with so many good players, it could get crowded at the top. Consistency will be key.

10. Kendrick Lewis

Defense rules the day early in these rankings. Lewis made strides last season despite being without his BFF Eric Berry. He stood out in a safety group that Todd Haley and Scott Pioli put together with some duct tape and the reanimated corpse of Mike Brown.

11. Branden Albert

Albert has a quietly solid season in 2011 while improving his pass protection. He survived yet another season of “move Albert to guard” talk and remains a solid first-round investment at LT. He’s more important to this offense than he’ll probably ever get credit for.

12. Dexter McCluster

Don’t look now but McCluster was KC’s best running back in 2011. He put up a solid average with his carries and his running seemed to improve as the season went on. If properly used, he could make a big impact in 2012.

13. Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson

These two are pretty much the same player so until one of them starts to distinguish himself from the other, I’m putting them together as a tag team. Run stoppers first, if one of these guys can begin to put even a little bit of pressure on the QB this year KC’s defense is going to be terrifying.

14. Stanford Routt

Routt comes in with questions. He had a poor season in Oakland last season but to be fair to Routt, he never should have been put in the position of being a #1 CB for an entire season. The Raiders defense as a whole was also a lot worse. Romeo Crennel will know how to play to Routt’s strengths and there is a chance his physical style of play could have KC fans forgetting about Brandon Carr rather quickly.

15. Dontari Poe

Ahhh. The Great White Big Hope. Poe is the giant-ass, round, final piece of the puzzle to the KC defense. Can Romeo teach him to make an immediate impact? I don’t know but I’ll tell you this, if he pancakes Peyton Manning I’m putting him #1 that week.

16. Tony Moeaki

He can be awesome but can he stay on the field?

17. Matt Cassel

I’d like to put him higher but I still have too many questions. Hoping the 2010 Cassel returns in 2012.

18. Jon Asamoah

Asamoah enters the all-important year three.If he can run block this season as well as he pass blocked last season, the Chiefs could have a Pro Bowler on their hands.

19. Steve Breaston

He chipped in 785 yards last season but only two TDs. To be honest, last year was pretty much par for the course for Breaston. He may not be great but he is incredibly reliable. You can pretty much always count on four catches for around 45-50 yards from him. In 2012, with the addition of KC’s other weapons, Breaston could be dangerous.

20. Jonathan Baldwin

Other than Cassel, there is no other player I’d like to see move up this list. The OTA reports were great but Baldwin just didn’t do enough last year to be higher at this point. On potential, however, the sky is the limit. Go get it son!

21. Javier Arenas

Areanas is playing solid defense and his return average is very good. He is entering a big third year as well. If he can finally break a return or two it could have the Dante Hall effect for the Chiefs.

22. Jovan Belcher

He isn’t overwhelming but he shows up and does a tremendous job helping DJ shutdown the run. He’s not a starter on every NFL team but on a defense this good, Belcher can contribute.

23. Ryan Succop

Succop looked to be heading for disaster early in 2011 but he settled down and continued to be a solid kicker for the Chiefs. You can put your Justin Medlock nightmares on the shelf for a while.

24. Dustin Colquitt

You could arguably put Colquitt higher on this list but it is the offseason and he is the punter. If the Chiefs’ offense can actually move the ball a little bit this season, Colquitt could help tremendously by pinning teams deep. I expect he’ll be moving up.

25. Rodney Hudson

Hudson is a big unknown. He played well in limited time last season but I am still paranoid about having a brand-new center.I still sometimes wake up in a cold sweat yelling “Niswanger!”

26. Ryan Lilja

Has to be better in 2012. I think he will be.

27. Allen Bailey

Big year for Bailey. This is his chance to show the Chiefs they can let either Dorsey or Jackson (and their big salaries) ride off into the sunset. He will likely start the season as a sub-rusher alongside Dontari Poe. He needs to produce.

28. Kevin Boss

He’s a solid blocked and can also snag some balls. He had a down year in Oakland last season but then again, doesn’t everyone play like crap in Oakland? Boss could be very important and is primed for a rise up this list once we get a look at him.

29. Andy Studebaker

Not spectacular but solid. Great motor and a special teams contributor. The anti-Shabby Piscitelli.

30. Devon Wylie

There is a lot of excitement around this kid but is he Dexter McCluster or Wes Welker?

31. Amon Gordon

Gordon won the 2011 Shaun “Perv” Smith award and he didn’t even have to grab anybody’s junk. Don’t scoff at Big #99′s place on this list. He could very well start the season at NT so the team can ease Poe in. He also got a couple of sacks last season, which for a KC defensive lineman is unheard of. He’ll contribute again in 2012.

32. Brandon Siler

We haven’t seen this guy do a damn thing yet as a Chief but we know he has the potential to unseat Belcher. We’ll see.

http://arrowheadaddict.com/2012/07/1...-camp-edition/

________________________________________________

Clever idea, decent points. Although, the "Siler to replace Belcher" comment is so tired. Matt Cassel should be #32 -- who's with me

Sorry for the interruption, you may now return to your Bowe tirades

07-19-2012, 10:47 AM	Topic Starter
Ace Gunner First Overall Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: kcmo Casino cash: $10007271	A.A. : Kansas City Chiefs Power Rankings: Pre-Camp Edition Since they are so often ignored and disrespected in power rankings columns around the NFL, I thought that this year it would be fun to introduce a new feature to Arrowhead Addict that I’m calling the “Kansas City Chiefs Power Rankings.” Throughout the season, we often see a player’s stock rise and fall. For instance, Justin Houston appeared to have high value last preseason. Then, once the season began, I imagine his ranking would have fallen significantly before rising back up. I thought it would be fun to do these each week and to see which player comes out on top at the end of the year. These rankings won’t be based on just talent alone. How a guy is playing will be very important. He may be one of the best players on the defense but if Tamba Hali struggles for a couple of games, he may see his ranking tanking. That doesn’t mean he’ll fall down below a guy like Cameron Sheffield, but he may see a drop until he resumes his dominance. We’ll do 32 rankings to match the number of teams in the NFL. Without further ado, I present the pre-camp Kansas City Chiefs Power Rankings! 1. Derrick Johnson The call between one and two was tough but DJ is at the height of his powers. His ability to not only stuff the run (remember the Raiders goal-line stand last season) and pick off balls gave him a slight edge. DJ at his best really can do it all and he’s at his very best right now. 2. Tamba Hali I really could have flipped a coin here. Hali is so consistent and so dominant that he easily could have been number one. Following his big year in 2010, teams paid even more attention to Hali in 2011. The emergence of Justin Houston and the addition of Dontari Poe should make him even more dangerous. His performance against the Packers last season was inspiring. 3. Dwayne Bowe Inconsistencies and contract issues aside, if you want to win in the NFL you have to score points and Dwayne Bowe moves the chains. 4. Brandon Flowers Flowers has been teasing us for a few years now. He’s very, very good but he has never been able to put together that really elite season. Part of the reason may be that he plays through injuries. Regardless, Flowers is a key member of this defense and one of the most talented players on the roster. 5. Eric Winston Winston could end up higher on this list later this season. We’ll have to wait and see how he looks playing in a Chiefs uniform in a new offense but as a Texan Winston was one of the best RTs in the NFL. #5 isn’t a bad debut. 6. Jamaal Charles Charles is another player who could easily top this list. His importance to KC’s offense is underrated to everyone outside of Chiefs Nation. The Chiefs missed Moeaki and Berry last season but make no mistake, if Jamaal Charles played the entire season the Chiefs would have won the West. This guy is special. 7. Eric Berry Berry is coming back and if he is able to quickly shake off the rust, the Chiefs defense could very well go from good to great. This guy has the potential to be the best safety in the NFL. 8. Peyton Hillis Hillis is coming off a poor year, sure, but we need to consider that he was playing in a Browns offense that was absolutely putrid. He has some injury concerns but when right, make no mistake, this guy is the real deal. He runs tough, he’s a load to bring down and he has rare athleticism for a man his size. He will be immensely important to KC’s prospects in 2012. Think Thomas Jones in 2010. The only think is, the 2012 version of Peyton Hillis should be much better than the 2010 version of Jones. 9. Justin Houston Houston is riding high following a strong finish tot he 2011 season. If he can keep the good times rolling in 2012, you’ll see him shooting up this list. Though with so many good players, it could get crowded at the top. Consistency will be key. 10. Kendrick Lewis Defense rules the day early in these rankings. Lewis made strides last season despite being without his BFF Eric Berry. He stood out in a safety group that Todd Haley and Scott Pioli put together with some duct tape and the reanimated corpse of Mike Brown. 11. Branden Albert Albert has a quietly solid season in 2011 while improving his pass protection. He survived yet another season of “move Albert to guard” talk and remains a solid first-round investment at LT. He’s more important to this offense than he’ll probably ever get credit for. 12. Dexter McCluster Don’t look now but McCluster was KC’s best running back in 2011. He put up a solid average with his carries and his running seemed to improve as the season went on. If properly used, he could make a big impact in 2012. 13. Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson These two are pretty much the same player so until one of them starts to distinguish himself from the other, I’m putting them together as a tag team. Run stoppers first, if one of these guys can begin to put even a little bit of pressure on the QB this year KC’s defense is going to be terrifying. 14. Stanford Routt Routt comes in with questions. He had a poor season in Oakland last season but to be fair to Routt, he never should have been put in the position of being a #1 CB for an entire season. The Raiders defense as a whole was also a lot worse. Romeo Crennel will know how to play to Routt’s strengths and there is a chance his physical style of play could have KC fans forgetting about Brandon Carr rather quickly. 15. Dontari Poe Ahhh. The Great White Big Hope. Poe is the giant-ass, round, final piece of the puzzle to the KC defense. Can Romeo teach him to make an immediate impact? I don’t know but I’ll tell you this, if he pancakes Peyton Manning I’m putting him #1 that week. 16. Tony Moeaki He can be awesome but can he stay on the field? 17. Matt Cassel I’d like to put him higher but I still have too many questions. Hoping the 2010 Cassel returns in 2012. 18. Jon Asamoah Asamoah enters the all-important year three.If he can run block this season as well as he pass blocked last season, the Chiefs could have a Pro Bowler on their hands. 19. Steve Breaston He chipped in 785 yards last season but only two TDs. To be honest, last year was pretty much par for the course for Breaston. He may not be great but he is incredibly reliable. You can pretty much always count on four catches for around 45-50 yards from him. In 2012, with the addition of KC’s other weapons, Breaston could be dangerous. 20. Jonathan Baldwin Other than Cassel, there is no other player I’d like to see move up this list. The OTA reports were great but Baldwin just didn’t do enough last year to be higher at this point. On potential, however, the sky is the limit. Go get it son! 21. Javier Arenas Areanas is playing solid defense and his return average is very good. He is entering a big third year as well. If he can finally break a return or two it could have the Dante Hall effect for the Chiefs. 22. Jovan Belcher He isn’t overwhelming but he shows up and does a tremendous job helping DJ shutdown the run. He’s not a starter on every NFL team but on a defense this good, Belcher can contribute. 23. Ryan Succop Succop looked to be heading for disaster early in 2011 but he settled down and continued to be a solid kicker for the Chiefs. You can put your Justin Medlock nightmares on the shelf for a while. 24. Dustin Colquitt You could arguably put Colquitt higher on this list but it is the offseason and he is the punter. If the Chiefs’ offense can actually move the ball a little bit this season, Colquitt could help tremendously by pinning teams deep. I expect he’ll be moving up. 25. Rodney Hudson Hudson is a big unknown. He played well in limited time last season but I am still paranoid about having a brand-new center.I still sometimes wake up in a cold sweat yelling “Niswanger!” 26. Ryan Lilja Has to be better in 2012. I think he will be. 27. Allen Bailey Big year for Bailey. This is his chance to show the Chiefs they can let either Dorsey or Jackson (and their big salaries) ride off into the sunset. He will likely start the season as a sub-rusher alongside Dontari Poe. He needs to produce. 28. Kevin Boss He’s a solid blocked and can also snag some balls. He had a down year in Oakland last season but then again, doesn’t everyone play like crap in Oakland? Boss could be very important and is primed for a rise up this list once we get a look at him. 29. Andy Studebaker Not spectacular but solid. Great motor and a special teams contributor. The anti-Shabby Piscitelli. 30. Devon Wylie There is a lot of excitement around this kid but is he Dexter McCluster or Wes Welker? 31. Amon Gordon Gordon won the 2011 Shaun “Perv” Smith award and he didn’t even have to grab anybody’s junk. Don’t scoff at Big #99′s place on this list. He could very well start the season at NT so the team can ease Poe in. He also got a couple of sacks last season, which for a KC defensive lineman is unheard of. He’ll contribute again in 2012. 32. Brandon Siler We haven’t seen this guy do a damn thing yet as a Chief but we know he has the potential to unseat Belcher. We’ll see. http://arrowheadaddict.com/2012/07/1...-camp-edition/ ________________________________________________ Clever idea, decent points. Although, the "Siler to replace Belcher" comment is so tired. Matt Cassel should be #32 -- who's with me Sorry for the interruption, you may now return to your Bowe tirades
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