Kansas City Chiefs Overrated, Underrated Players in Fantasy Drafts

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Andy Reid and Alex Smith are supposed to save this Kansas City Chiefs offense after two seasons of horrific play that culminated with last year’s 2-14 mark. Hiring interim head coach Romeo Crennel for the 2013 season seemed like a comically bad call at the time and the play of this defense and, especially, offense showed the squad’s issues loud and clear.

With Crennel and Matt Cassel gone, the fantasy value of KC’s entire offense has skyrocketed in one offseason.

(The following analysis is based on FantasyPros.com aggregate average draft position drawn from major websites. The first number in parenthesis is ADP overall in a non-PPR format; the second is ADP by position. I am not saying these players will be terrible or amazing, just that I see them significantly outperforming or underperforming their fantasy value at the current ADP.)

Underrated: Jamaal Charles (4,4), Dexter McCluster (247, 86)

Charles led the Pro Football Focus run rating in 2009 and 2010, and now escapes the horrible mismanagement under since-deposed coaches Crennel and Todd Haley. I’ve always felt Reid was good at identifying talent that could contribute through air and ground before getting them the ball in open space. McCluster follows that same theme on the receiving end as the quick-twitch, electric returner-receiver hybrid that shines in a Reid offense like DeSean Jackson.

Overrated: Alex Smith (162, 24), Dwayne Bowe (44, 14)

I’ve always believe in Smith as a decent quarterback to have with a good defense but never a quarterback to put up huge passing yard totals or incredible touchdown efficiency in the red zone. Smith’s also never helped a traditional No. 1 like Bowe really shine — see Michael Crabtree — and the same fantasy issue has surrounded Reid — except for two combined years with Terrell Owens and Jeremy Maclin.

Thomas Emerick is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ThomasEmerick, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google