Kansas City Chiefs Stock Report: Week 2 2022 -

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As has been custom for recent matchups between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers, Thursday was an instant classic. Neither offense played up to their full potential. Though, the explosive gains were still achieved here and there. Defensively, each team was able to get after the quarterback and force hurried or off-target throws. Kansas City was able to gain momentum with a late defensive touchdown, to boot.

Who were the main performers that stood out for the Chiefs on Thursday night? There were a few top players that should be recognized. Elsewhere, Kansas City will still be looking for some improvement after a win that was ugly in spots. Each and every week, we will be listing the players or position groups that improved or hurt their respective stock. Who had their stock rise or fall in Week 2? Let’s kick it off.

Stock Up

Chris Jones

It has been a tremendous start to the season for Chris Jones through two games. On Thursday night, he wreaked havoc all over the place. A couple of rushing attempts by the Chargers were stuffed out, due to suffocating tackles by Jones. On the other hand, Jones was making life difficult for the Los Angeles offensive line. He registered two sacks, two quarterback hits and a pass breakup. With his constant ability to get pressure, the Chargers offensive attack was thrown out of rhythm just enough in crucial moments. Overall, the Chiefs have to be ecstatic to see how well Jones is playing to open the season.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire

Another player who has started hot through two games, Clyde Edwards-Helaire. The running back pulled off some tough runs to get Kansas City some needed extra yardage in tight moments. With his contact balance and change of direction skills, Edwards-Helaire was able to bounce off of a handful of tackle attempts. Amazingly, he finished with over nine yards per carry on Thursday night against the Chargers, finishing with 74 rushing yards on eight carries. Meanwhile, CEH has begun to show that versatility that many believed he had coming out of college. He has caught all seven of his targets through two games so far. On Thursday, Edwards-Helaire was able to make defenders miss and ran over a few others after the catch.

Ep 41: Chiefs Outlast Chargers, Latest Injuries, Week 2 Prop Bets and Game Picks
by Full Press Coverage on September 18, 2022 at 10:06 pm

Jaylen Watson

What a night for the seventh-round rookie draft pick, Jaylen Watson. With Trent McDuffie out with a hamstring injury, the Washington State product made his presence felt in a larger role. Going up against a relentless and deep Chargers passing attack, Watson showed comfort and confidence throughout parts of the game. Obviously, his 99-yard interception returned for a touchdown will be remembered the most. It singlehandedly sealed the Chiefs comeback on Thursday night. But, let’s not forget how strong Watson was during the rest of the contest. He only allowed three receptions on the night, while being targeted eight times. Given the opposing wide receivers he was facing, Watson was fantastic.

Stock Down

Rashad Fenton

We go from a strong cornerback performance to a poor cornerback performance. Rashad Fenton had a night to forget in coverage. Simply put, he could not match the size and strength of players like Mike Williams and others. Fenton committed a couple of tough penalties when the Chiefs defense was backed up in their own end. Better timing and instincts will help him to win one-on-one battles against bigger receivers. Finally, Fenton must find a way to produce, as the Chiefs are already extremely high on the younger cornerbacks.

JuJu Smith-Schuster And Marquez Valdes-Scantling

We know that the Chargers have a tremendous secondary and quick defense. Additionally, the Chiefs have hinted at highlighting different pass catchers each and every week. However, it appeared that JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling were largely nonexistent on Thursday night. Patrick Mahomes could have been in sync better than he was with those two as well. Nonetheless, the Chiefs were stagnant early on and in spurts offensively. Smith-Schuster and Valdes-Scantling were unable to gain much separation. And when either of them did make a catch, it was usually for a short gain. Can they bounce back next week?

Be on the lookout for more FPC Chiefs articles and analysis throughout next week. For more great sports and NFL content, stay tuned to Full Press Coverage.

– Braden Holecek is the Kansas City Chiefs managing editor for Full Press Coverage. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @ebearcat9 //platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Follow @FPC_Chiefs //platform.twitter.com/widgets.js and Facebook.