The Sporting News recently ranked the top 20 quarterbacks, wide receivers, tight ends, centers, guards and tackles. A few Chiefs popped up in the top 20 of these position rankings. H/T to Bleeding Green Nation for the link.
Quarterback - #20 Matt Cassel (#1 - Peyton Manning, Colts - Full list here)
Cassel wildly exceeded expectations in New England last year, but a good portion of his success can be attributed to the Patriots' system. New coach Todd Haley certainly will play to Cassel's strengths, inserting him in a pass-first, shotgun-heavy attack. Smart coaching and a favorable system are enough to keep him on this list, but he will not be lining up behind Patriots' line or have Randy Moss and Wes Welker outside. And it remains to be seen whether RB Larry Johnson has anything left to offer.
I'm wiling to cede the argument that Chad Pennington (#19) is better than Cassel, but I will not agree that Jason Campbell (#18) and Matt Schaub (#17) are better options.
Wide Receiver - No Chiefs (#1 - Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals - Full list here)
No real arguments here. While Bowe is an excellent receiver whose put up over 2,000 yards in his first two years, numbers that don't come around very often, he's not in the elite category yet. Maybe that's because of the oft-cited dropped balls issue or that he hasn't had a great quarterback throwing to him, but he's not a top 20 receiver...yet.
Tight End - #2 Tony Gonzalez No Chiefs (#1 - Jason Witten, Cowboys - Full list here)
Of course Brad Cottam, who has never started a game for the Chiefs, isn't on the list. Tony Gonzalez should be #1, but that's a different argument for a different day.
Center - No Chiefs (#1 - Nick Mangold, Jets - Full list here)
Rudy Niswanger is a converted guard playing center. The Chiefs signed Eric Ghiaciuc, who wasn't re-signed by the Bengals.
Guard - #3 Brian Waters (#1 - Steve Hutchinson, Vikings - Full list here)
Despite getting off to a shaky start with the new boss, Waters is a former Pro Bowler and the Chiefs' best lineman. Scott Pioli and Todd Haley know it, which is why Waters didn't go anywhere during draft weekend despite numerous rumors indicating he might be dealt. He is 32 years old, but his combination of strength and agility is hard to find in a man his size.
No surprise here. Even at 34 years old Waters is one of the best in the game.
Tackle - No Chiefs (#1 - Ryan Clady, Broncos - Full list here)
I won't argue that Clady should be #1 since he gave up 1/2 a sack last season but no Brandon Albert is a bit surprising. He gave up 4 sacks in his rookie year.