When a team employs both the most feared offensive weapon in the game and a tight end who is setting new historic marks for production with each passing year, it makes sense that the overall receiving corps would be ranked pretty high. Thus it’s not a surprise to see the K.C. Chiefs ranked at No. 3 overall in the NFL for the overall talent among their pass catchers.
Pro Football Focus recently put out their preseason rankings for ’21 listing the league’s best receiving corps overall and the Chiefs come in just behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers up top and the Dallas Cowboys at No. 2. The former is not a surprise given that the Bucs are loaded offensively, and the Cowboys can put up plenty of points, even if they tend to allow even more.
As for the Chiefs at No. 3, it makes sense given the riches that come with having Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce up top. That’s the league top deep threat and overall best tight end at work in the same offense. The Chiefs are as dangerous as an offense can get with Patrick Mahomes throwing the football and the Chiefs just so happen to have receivers to that take things to the next level.
Pro Football Focus says KC Chiefs have 3rd best receiving corps.
However, the No. 3 ranking also showcases the disparity between a more proven set of receivers (a la the Bucs) and what the Chiefs brought back for the 2021 season. If Sammy Watkins was here—availability concerns or not—the Chiefs are ranked higher if not first overall. Unfortunately the Chiefs not only let him go but failed to convince anyone to join them in free agency (a la T.Y. Hilton or Josh Reynolds or JuJu Smith-Schuster). Pro Football Focus notes this in their reasons given.
"The Chiefs are as good as it gets at the top of the receiving depth charts, but their dominance will be determined by the development of reliable third and fourth options."
It’s very possible that the Chiefs look much better than the Cowboys and as good as the Bucs when all is said and done. It will require growth from Mecole Hardman, consistency from Demarcus Robinson, and development from Byron Pringle. It might also mean a surprise slips through like Noah Gray making a real impact in his first year or Cornell Powell doing the same outside.
Either way, the Chiefs are set based on the offensive pillars while simultaneously facing a few questions as to how dominant this unit can be.