Tyler Warren is one of the best young offensive weapons in the entire NFL. From his first game last season, Indianapolis was willing to make him the central focus of its passing game. Depending on the game script, the Colts are willing to funnel things through the Penn State product.
At the same time, the Kansas City Chiefs are coming off an impressive defensive showing. You could tell the Chiefs possess more punch on that side of the ball, especially up front. Kansas City also held the Denver Broncos' best wide receiver to a near-shutout on Monday night.
A fair number of tight ends have performed well against the Chiefs' defense in recent years. Steve Spagnuolo's unit typically sells out to stop the run when facing the top running backs. You also see an emphasis on tight man coverage, depending on the available defensive backs, which leads to a shift in focus toward wide receivers. All of this gives TEs a greater opportunity for offensive impact against the Chiefs.
Can Tyler Warren carry the Colts' offense to a more well-rounded day in Week 2? Or will the Chiefs step up and keep yet another top passing weapon in check?
Daniel Jones still getting comfortable after injury
Daniel Jones was resurrected by joining the Colts' offense last season. He distributed the ball to the right places in the first half of the year. During that span, the passer was able to get his full cast of weapons involved. But of course, Indianapolis ran into a second-half collapse. Jones suffered a broken leg, which he played through briefly. Shortly thereafter, he suffered a torn Achilles on his opposite leg.
That has led to a transition period as Jones returns from injury. Yes, he did come back in time for Week 1 this season. However, Jones did not appear eager to use his mobility against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. That affected how he attacked in the passing game last week.
Jones only threw two passes beyond eight yards that were outside the numbers, as pointed out by Derrik Klassen of The Athletic Football Show. It may be a point of emphasis for Indianapolis to get him working toward the perimeter more often against Kansas City. In the end, if he does not get comfortable in that regard early enough, you likely see Jones look toward the middle of the field or underneath.
Tyler Warren's versatility
A notable item to keep in mind for the Chiefs' defense when battling Warren is his versatility. Last season, the Colts used their tight end for at least 100 snaps in three different positions. He aligned in-line 459 times. Of his snaps, 271 were in the slot. Meanwhile, Warren received 103 snaps out wide in 2025. He even tallied 63 reps out of the backfield.
A notable item to keep in mind for the Chiefs' defense when battling Warren is his versatility. Last season, the Colts used their tight end for at least 100 snaps in three different positions. He aligned in-line 459 times. Of his snaps, 271 were in the slot. Meanwhile, Warren received 103 snaps out wide in 2025. He even tallied 63 reps out of the backfield.
You can go back to his usage at Penn State. Warren was extensively used as a one-man wrecking crew on certain snaps for the Nittany Lions. Oftentimes, he was able to outwork opposing defenders for first downs or scores, no matter how simple or designed his touches were on non-traditional play calls. Kansas City must be ready for Warren to be utilized in any type of way on Sunday.
Chiefs' safeties look to prove themselves
Kansas City's safety depth has quietly been a storyline worth monitoring. Chamarri Conner will miss his second straight game with an injury. Alohi Gilman was a free-agent addition who can provide leadership and communication on the back end. But beyond that, the opportunity to step up is there for many Chiefs safeties.
Chris Roland-Wallace is a player the Chiefs love as a player who can move between safety and cornerback roles. Jaden Hicks flashed in training camp and the preseason. Can he carry the momentum into the bulk of this regular season? Finally, Xavier Nwankpa is a rookie who came in as an undrafted free agent. His value is felt more on special teams, though his instincts can help get him on the field.
Whichever of those names stakes his claim for a higher snap share could vary week to week. But in this particular matchup against Warren, the Chiefs may look for all of those names to chip in. Kansas City cannot afford to give Warren advantageous one-on-one matchups against safeties who are still gaining experience.
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