Chiefs sleepers at each position in 2016

WR: De’Anthony Thomas

We’ve never really gotten any clarity on the situation surrounding Thomas towards the end of the season, and this has caused many people to question whether he’s in the Chiefs’ plans going forward. Hoping everything is resolved and Thomas returns to the team, let’s not forget the how dynamic of a player he is.

While he may never develop into the full time receiver that some hope, Thomas’ elite quickness and ability with the ball in his hands gives the Chiefs an interesting wrinkle to their offense and explosiveness in their return game that just wasn’t quite the same without him. His size and the aftermath of his concussion will continue to be a concern, but the mere presence of him on the field should provide plenty of excitement.

TE: James O’Shaughnessy

A fifth-round pick of the Chiefs last year out of Illinois State, O’Shaughnessy showed some intriguing potential as a pass catching TE before a foot injury landed him on the IR in the middle of the season. Coming from a small school, not many people knew much about O’Shaughnessy when he was selected.

In training camp and preseason, though, he quickly showed his talent and receiving abilities and even had some nice plays in the regular season. While he struggled with blocking and had some focus drops in camp, O’Shaughnessy has the opportunity to breakout as the number two behind Pro-Bowler Travis Kelce. His ability to stretch the field and take advantage of mismatches can help the Chiefs take another step forward in their promising passing game.

Assuming he is on track for a full recovery, keep an eye on O’Shaughnessy as he continues to develop into a weapon the Chiefs can utilize.

Next: In the trenches