5 players who Kansas City Chiefs need to be great in 2019

2. WR Sammy Watkins

One of the biggest questions for the Kansas City Chiefs entering 2019 is what they will do at the wide receiver position thanks to the uncertain status of Tyreek Hill. Hill has been placed on the commissioner’s exempt list and is likely facing a suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.

Even if the Chiefs don’t end up cutting Hill, they will be without him for a significant portion of the season, meaning they need other receivers to step up on the outside. Kansas City did draft Mecole Hardman in the second round, but asking him to be the go-to-guy in his rookie season is a tall order.

That responsibility will likely be shared by tight end Travis Kelce and wideout Sammy Watkins, who needs to be a no. 1 receiver for the Chiefs this season. Watkins has always flashed a ton of promise since being drafted fourth overall by the Buffalo Bills in 2014, but he hasn’t lived up to the hype more often than not.

The Chiefs became Watkins’ third team in three years last season, and he only played in 10 games during the regular season, catching 40 passes for 519 yards and three touchdown. Watkins will need to stay on the field and put up far better numbers than that if the Chiefs are going to survive the absence of Hill.

The good news for the Chiefs is that Watkins clearly has the talent to perform and is still only 25 years old, meaning there is a great chance he can break out in his sixth year in the league. Kansas City will need that to happen in order to achieve their goals for the year.