Chiefs Snap Count Analysis vs. Colts: Trends and Role Changes in Week 2

It wasn't the prettiest of wins, but the Kansas City Chiefs found a way to take down the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night. A prime-time triumph in Week 2 kept the club's perfect record intact, and it took contributions from just about everyone to pull out the victory.

Some players got more opportunities than others, although that doesn't mean everyone made the most of them at the same rate. There were intriguing in-game decisions regarding how workloads were divided on both sides of the ball and even into the third realm of special teams. Which trends are worth monitoring now that a couple of games have been played?

Let's take a look at three noteworthy takeaways from another week of Chiefs football.

Whether you like it or not, Xavier Worthy isn't going away

In Kansas City's Week 1 blowout win over the Denver Broncos, there was a clear hierarchy established at the top of the wide receiver room. As expected, the trio of Rashee Rice (57 snaps), Xavier Worthy (53) and Tyquan Thornton (47) trumped everyone else by a pretty significant margin. The next-closest wideout was rookie Cyrus Allen with a single snap on offense, signaling that the coaching staff instead wanted to lean into heavy personnel along the front line and at tight end.

On Sunday Night Football, it was Worthy who led the way with 69 reps, as Rice (63) and Thornton (47) fell in line. Second-year man Jalen Royals (12) got his first offensive snaps of the year, followed by Allen with three. Worthy topped the Chiefs' receivers in targets and receptions at seven and five, respectively, further cementing that he's wideout No. 1 — regardless of whether it's a productive role.

The proof goes beyond just the snap counts. According to SumerSports, Worthy is first on the team for his position in routes run (76) and target share (19.12%). Add in that head coach Andy Reid has him moving around the formation plenty pre-snap, and it's obvious that the staff wants to maximize his talents.

Worthy's lack of spatial awareness and contact balance have resulted in him underwhelming to this point. Either way, the Chiefs aren't backing down from involving him in the game plan.

A perfectly balanced defensive end rotation aside from George Karlaftis

The Chiefs knew coming into the year that veteran George Karlaftis would be their top defensive end. Behind him, many anticipated that second-year man Ashton Gillotte was going to assume a starting-level role and dominate a good chunk of snaps. Once Gillotte sustained a ruptured plantar fascia and a pair of former early NFL Draft picks began to flash in the preseason, though, that momentum appeared to shift.

In Week 1 of the regular season, Gillotte ranked fourth among Chiefs edge rushers in snaps with 14. He finished Week 2 much closer to his peers.

It's no surprise that Karlaftis headlined the group with 58 reps, good for 89% of those available. The next three D-ends, however, were Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Gillotte and second-rounder R Mason Thomas at 29, 28 and 27. That development, paired with some over-tackle snaps for All-Pro interior rusher Chris Jones, reflected a by-committee approach to a complicated front.

The experiment didn't work well, as the Chiefs ranked 27th (per TruMedia) out of 30 pre-Monday teams with a measly 27.3% pressure rate. That part needs some work, but coordinator Steve Spagnuolo throwing a bunch of stuff at the wall and hoping something stuck was interesting.

Mansoor Delane sits and Kristian Fulton steps in

It's already been a whirlwind of a debut year for first-round cornerback Mansoor Delane. He spent a good chunk of the offseason and training camp working his way back from a shoulder injury, only to record in interception on the first series of his professional career before falling on the same shoulder and getting banged up.

The Chiefs deemed him healthy enough to play in Week 2, although he still wound up missing time. The former LSU star was essentially a "break glass in case of emergency" option; he didn't play a snap on Sunday. He was replaced in the aggregate, with veteran Kristian Fulton taking advantage of the opportunity handed to him.

After being on the field for 47 defensive snaps in his 2026 regular-season opener, Fulton logged another 52 (80%) against the Colts. According to NFL Pro, he surrendered just a 30.6 passer rating in coverage and had his first interception as a Chief, but that didn't come without some bumps along the way. The 28-year-old was flagged twice for pass interference for a combined 49 yards.

Still, it was an overall solid performance from someone who wasn't even a lock to make the team in many folks' eyes earlier this calendar year. If you're the Chiefs, it's good to know that not everything is bleak when Delane isn't in the lineup.

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