Power ranking the AFC West by position groups
Special Teams
4) Las Vegas Raiders
This unit is a giant question mark heading into the 2020 season. Punter AJ Cole III and kicker Daniel Carlson are completely unknown and unproven, and Jalen Richard as the team’s primary kick and punt returner is a bit of an underwhelming prospect. Maybe someone like Lynn Bowden, Jr. wins that job and the return game can become a strength – but for now, we know nothing about the club’s special teams units.
3) Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers are roughly unknown here and much of their success on special teams is to be determined. We know Desmond King is a good returner, but we are less sure about the quality of placekicker Michael Badgley and punter Ty Long. For now, and until proven otherwise, Los Angeles sits here in the AFC West.
2) Denver Broncos
We also do not know much about the Denver Broncos special teams unit. But, we do know that place kicker Brandon McManus is among the best at the position in the entire NFL, and in the AFC West right now that is enough to propel them to a second place ranking in the division. We think Sam Martin is going to be a very good punter, and we may expect rookie KJ Hamler to replace Diontae Spencer as the primary returner, and be very good there. But, we just do not know yet.
1) Kansas City Chiefs
Perhaps homerism puts the Kansas City Chiefs at number one on this list for us, but we think that they do legitimately have the best special teams unit in the division. The team features the best place kicker in the division (and most underrated in the NFL) in Harrison Butker. While the team will have a new punter for the first time in nearly two decades, we also know that Tommy Townsend is up for the task of replacing Dustin Colquitt. We are pretty sure that Justice Shelton-Mosely will end up being the team’s primary returner – and while he’s unknown for now, he’s going to return kicks in Dave Toub’s scheme, and he’s apparently been good enough that the team is comfortable replacing either Tyreek Hill or Mecole Hardman with him. We’ll trust Toub.