X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Biggest Positional Needs For All 32 NFL Teams - AFC West Series

Andy Reid - NFL Head Coach

John breaks down the biggest positional needs for each AFC West team -- the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, and Los Angeles Chargers.

The Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, and Los Angeles Chargers comprise the AFC West. They were overall one of the best divisions in football in 2024, sending three teams to the postseason and one to the Super Bowl.

Unsurprisingly, those three squads (everyone but the Raiders) had excellent quarterback situations, with each currently sporting their long-term answer at the position. With the recent trade by the Raiders for former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith, none of these four teams have serious needs at the quarterback position.

This division is thus set up to be one of the most competitive in the NFL next season, but that doesn't mean each team doesn't have needs that they must address. No team is in great shape at every position group, so let's break down the biggest positional holes for each team in the AFC West ahead of the 2025 NFL season.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Denver Broncos

Running Back 

The trio of RBs Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin, and Audric Estime combined for one of the ugliest and most putrid team rushing attacks that anyone who watched the Broncos had the unfortunate displeasure of watching.

All three failed to carve out consistent roles, forcing Denver head coach Sean Payton to tinker endlessly with the distribution of work. None of the three rewarded Payton for his efforts.

Those who play fantasy football should smash pick whoever the Broncos pick in the 2025 NFL Draft because many fantasy managers have an idea that Payton wants to run a committee and won't give consistently good volume to any RB on the team. But what would you do if you had such a poor running back room?

I imagine Denver's management will see a good running back as a priority to draft, especially in a draft class that's so stacked at the position. After seeing Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry improve their offenses massively in 2024, I would agree with that assessment.

I stand by my take that Williams is terrible. It's aged well.

Tight End

The Greg Dulcich experiment didn't work out, much to the chagrin of the endless line of fantasy football analysts who swore up and down that he would break out any day now. And the team's answer at the position for now is veteran Evan Engram, so drafting someone like Michigan tight end Colston Loveland in the 2025 NFL Draft would probably be a great idea.

The team could kill two birds with one stone with a player like Loveland, addressing one of its biggest needs and adding a genuine threat to the pass-catching corps.

Wide Receiver

A lot of teams are hurting for more good wideouts, and the Broncos are no exception. While Courtland Sutton had a solid season as the team's WR1, there were no consistently good options behind him. Perhaps WR Marvin Mims Jr. develops into a good WR2, but if that doesn't happen (and even if it does), another good wide receiver would elevate this team.

Mims has been a breakout candidate for a while, though. I'll believe it when I see it. This isn't the biggest need for Denver, but it seriously lacks depth at the position, and an injury to Sutton would leave the offense sputtering.

 

Kansas City Chiefs

Offensive Tackle

By far the biggest need for the Chiefs is at the tackle position. Rookie left tackle Kingsley Suamataia was horrible in 2024, eventually getting benched for Wanya Morris, who was replaced by the late-season signing of D.J. Humphries. The Philadelphia Eagles ended the Chiefs' reign of terror (praise be) in the Super Bowl and exposed just how bad the exteriors of their offensive line was.

Of course, the AFC's efforts to stop Kansas City were pathetic, as they always are, especially from teams like the Buffalo Bills, who routinely lay down and allow themselves to get walked all over by quarterback Patrick Mahomes and corps. But Philly knew what it was doing.

The NFL is a copycat league, so other teams will certainly use the Eagles' game plan as a blueprint to stop the Chiefs offense. How successful they are remains to be seen, but if K.C. doesn't get an upgrade soon, it could be in trouble because right tackle Jawaan Taylor also is bad. If the referees start flagging him for constantly lining up in illegal formations and false starts, it could get even worse.

Tight End 

Travis Kelce is declining rapidly, and he has very little juice left in him. He's athletically nearly completely washed, but he's still at least able to find holes in zone defenses to exploit. That makes him at least usable, but other areas of his game are just not good.

Kansas City would be well served by finding a replacement. Kelce was the engine behind the offense when he was at his best, and his decline has perfectly coincided with the K.C. offense falling off.

 

Las Vegas Raiders

Running Back

I'm not saying Raiders running back Sincere McCormick was worse than the aforementioned Williams (Javonte) from the Broncos was. What I am saying is that the Raiders run game was never inspiring to viewers or fear-inducing to opposing defenses in 2024. Instead, it was one of the worst units in the league.

I staunchly stand by my Zamir White is bad take that I published before the 2024 season. Williams and White were my two clearest RB bust candidates for the year, but a four-game stretch White had in 2023 convinced people otherwise. It's clear now that he won't be the starter in 2025, as he doesn't have a severe injury to blame for his lack of production.

The Raiders, having traded for quarterback Geno Smith, are a great landing spot for a premier back in the 2025 NFL Draft. I wouldn't be surprised if they used their first-round pick on Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and immediately made him a workhorse. His game and athletic profile fit the "Raider Way." Though that way has been more about losing recently, it's the idea that counts.

Wide Receiver

WR Jakobi Meyers had another nice season, and while I don't intend to take anything away from him for his very good play in the NFL, he's best suited as one of the NFL's better WR2s. The presence of tight end Brock Bowers makes WR less of an urgent need, but Meyers is 28 years old, and there is virtually no depth behind him right now.

Wide receiver Tre Tucker is, at best, a WR3/WR4 and a gadget player without a ton of upside. Another good WR to play alongside Meyers and serve as a holdover, a decent WR2, an immediate upgrade over Meyers, or at least the eventual successor to Meyers as the WR1 could be a big benefit to the offense.

 

Los Angeles Chargers

Wide Receiver

By far the biggest need for the Chargers in 2025 is another competent wide receiver to play alongside Ladd McConkey. McConkey isn't a dominant X player, and he doesn't have the size to win jump balls and contested catch opportunities consistently. That's not a knock to his game, as he's a fantastic wideout, but if L.A. could get someone like the player it wanted WR Quentin Johnston to be, it would benefit massively.

Johnston finds it difficult to separate, plays with strength much smaller than his size, doesn't often win jump balls and contested catches, and has hands made of stone covered in Vaseline, so to say. He had a few games with good fantasy outputs, but these were largely fluky or against very bad competition.

Tight End 

In the same vein, the lack of tight-end talent was an issue for Los Angeles last season. TE Will Dissly had a few games where he kind of did things, but he wasn't good or consistent. A great pass-catching tight end, as hard as they are to find, could at least make up for the lack of a good WR2.

Someone like Michigan tight end Colston Loveland would be a great pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft if the Chargers can manage it. A TE who doubles as a WR2 or even WR1B would be huge for L.A. quarterback Justin Herbert.

Edge-Rusher 

The Chargers had a good roster, and while second-year linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu had a solid year with 8.5 sacks and defensive end Khalil Mack continues to play serviceably, the team released DE Joey Bosa and could use reinforcements at the position.

Overall, their defense was good, though, and ranked ninth in sack rate. Cutting Bosa was a cost-saving measure, and his play had declined in recent years.

More Fantasy Football Analysis

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Cal Raleigh

Continues Historic Homer Pace Tuesday
Jacob Wilson

Exits Early On Tuesday With Left Hand Contusion
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
Laken Tomlinson

Confident in Texans Offensive Line
J.K. Dobbins

the Starter in Denver?
JT Woods

Seahawks Release JT Woods
Darren Waller

Trade to Miami Becomes Official
Asante Samuel Jr.

Dolphins Interested in Asante Samuel Jr.
Nyheim Hines

Seeking Return to NFL
Dak Prescott

Expects to be Full-Go for Training Camp
Ajay Mitchell

Posts 16 Points in Summer League Win on Monday
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Waived by Bucks
Brice Sensabaugh

Logs 37 points in Summer League Win on Monday
Luis Garcia

Fans Four in Rehab Outing
GG Jackson II

Collects 27 Points in Summer League Loss
Ace Bailey

Scores 18 Points in Summer League Victory
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Kobe Bufkin

Cleared for Summer League Action
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Agrees to Contract Buyout with Bucks
PGA

Sungjae Im Still a Liability at Scottish Open
James Wiseman

Pacers Bring Back James Wiseman
Ludvig Aberg

is a Solid Option at Scottish Open
Tyrese Haliburton

to Miss Entire 2025-26 Campaign
Paolo Banchero

Signs Historic Five-Year Extension with Magic
Anthony Santander

Hoping to Hit Soon
Luis Robert Jr.

Returning in Short Order
Alex Bregman

Could Return Later This Week
Ketel Marte

Day-to-Day with Groin Tightness
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Hunter Greene

Suffers Setback on Monday
Kyle Lowry

Staying With 76ers
Kyle Anderson

Lands in Utah
Kevin Love

Traded to Jazz in 3-Team Swap
Norman Powell

Traded to Miami
John Collins

Dealt to Clippers
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied For 14 at Travelers Championship
Xander Schauffele

Finishes Tied For 61 at Travelers Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Robert MacIntyre

Finishes Tied For 17 at Travelers Championship
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied For 11 at John Deere Classic
Viktor Hovland

Withdraws From Travelers Championship
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For Second at Travelers Championship
Brian Campbell

Wins John Deere Classic
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 10 Points
Harrison Ingram

Limited on Sunday
Golden State Warriors

Isaiah Mobley Drops 16 Points
Ryan Rollins

Staying with Bucks
T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Still Not Close on New Contract
Terry McLaurin

Still Not Pleased with Contract Situation
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Yu Darvish

to Make Season Debut on Monday
MLB

Nationals Fire Dave Martinez, Mike Rizzo
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Cole Ragans

to Begin Throwing on Monday
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
Cam Ward

"Not Expecting" to be handed Starting Job
Chase Claypool

Eager to Get Back on the Field
Wyatt Langford

Activated, Playing on Saturday
Jay Huff

on the Move to Indiana
Cam Whitmore

Wizards Acquire Cam Whitmore from the Rockets
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF