Players who could step up in Week 2 given KC Chiefs injuries

Harrison Butker, Kicker

When kicker Harrison Butker came up limping just over five minutes into the game, many fans in Chiefs Kingdom held their breath. One problem with losing pure special teams players (I.e. kicker, punter, and long snapper) is that there is no surefire backup dressed on gameday to take their place.

Even though he was clearly not 100%, after temporarily leaving the game with the injury, Butker still attempted (and made) a 54-yard field goal and went three for three on extra points.

Despite attempting several kicks, his injury still raises a lot of questions. First, who replaces him if he can’t play on Thursday? Second, if he does play on Thursday, will he see a reduced role similar to Sunday? To answer the second question, I imagine that his role will be similar to what it was against the Cardinals. This means he would not perform any kickoffs and will only see the field when the Chiefs attempt field goals and extra points.

In terms of who could potentially replace Butker if he is unable to go at all, the Chiefs will likely roll with the newly signed practice squad kicker Matt Ammendola until Butker is able to play again.

How Harrison Butker progresses in his recovery this week will obviously help determine how much/if he can play on Thursday. If he can only play a partial role, the Chiefs should be fine with Justin Reid on kickoffs, but if he can’t go at all, then things may get a little hairy for Kansas City.