Top 25 Chiefs of 2026: Ranking Every Player Based on Impact

The Kansas City Chiefs had a laundry list of problems a season ago, and one of them was that their roster clearly wasn't talented enough. While general manager Brett Veach had the foundational pieces in place for a championship, the supporting cast was lackluster at best.

This offseason, Veach and his staff went to work and have since reshaped the team. Injections of young, high-upside talent took place on both sides of the ball, whether via free agency or the 2026 NFL Draft. Where does the updated group stack up?

That's what Chiefs On SI is looking to answer. In the month of June, we'll be rolling out a ranking of the top 25 Chiefs for this coming campaign. Each day will feature a new player profile until the entire group is revealed. Refer to this central hub throughout the next few weeks to see which players make the cut.

Without further ado, let's dive into a breakdown of the 2026 Chiefs roster and a list of the best players on the team.

Defensive Breakdown

Believe it or not, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is already entering his eighth year with the Chiefs. He maintains his normal 4-3 scheme, led by tackle Chris Jones up front and linebacker Nick Bolton at the next level. After an offseason of shakeups, though, there could be new dynamics on that side of the ball.

Last year's No. 12 ranking in EPA per play may have been misleading. Spagnuolo lacked the horses on the defensive line to not blitz at a video game-like level, and the play-action game absolutely ate Kansas City up. This group had serious shortcomings in talent, growing stale at times as a result.

For better or worse, the secondary is extremely different from 2025-26's. Gone are two starting cornerbacks and a key safety. As far as the pass rush is concerned, rookies Peter Woods and R Mason Thomas are fun, moldable pieces for Spagnuolo to work with.

It remains to be seen whether these alterations will pan out. One can't say the Chiefs didn't try to improve on defense, though.

Offensive Breakdown

This side of the ball is much more similar to last year's collection of players. Four of the five starting offensive linemen are back, as is future Hall of Fame man Travis Kelce at tight end. At the receiver spot, the trio of Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton returns. What's different, then?

The run game, and for good reason. Kansas City lacked any remnant of explosiveness in 2024 or 2025, so Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt are both out. In is Kenneth Walker III, who is already making a good impression.

Upside is there for this unit, but it'll take a lot going the right way. That starts with quarterback Patrick Mahomes bouncing back from a torn ACL and LCL, as well as the coaches around Walker helping him be his best self. That's without even mentioning Rice staying out of trouble and getting back to full health.

Crazier things have happened, but this is a dice roll and a bank on head coach Andy Reid being able to make up for some things.

Special Teams Breakdown

As long as Dave Toub is a Chiefs employee, there will be a bit more roster control handed to him than most other special teams coordinators. Expect the last handful of spots on the team to be heavily influenced by him. For Kansas City's sake, the organization will hope the results align.

Kicker Harrison Butker has been a shell of himself for a bit, but he fell from such immense heights that even league-average production is far from a doomsday scenario. At punter, Matt Araiza is returning for another year and improved with more time under Toub's tutelage.

Veteran James Winchester is also inked to a one-year deal again, establishing some consistency for the kicking and punting operations. Special teams is where some underrated veterans or fiery first-year men could find snaps once the regular season begins.

Top 25 Rankings

Coming soon. Check back daily for our comprehensive list of the Chiefs' top 25 players ahead of the 2026-27 NFL season.

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