The final score is all that’s needed to understand the main plot, but looking at a team’s snap counts from week to week adds vital context to the unfolding story, especially when analyzed in the bigger picture. For the Kansas City Chiefs, an ever-concerning narrative is fleshed out in detail when looking at the ways Andy Reid is distributing playing time in 2025.

The Chiefs are now 5-5, smarting from a divisional loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 11 that essentially buried their hopes for a 10th consecutive AFC West title. Let’s look at how this week’s snap counts inform their miserable position and what it means for the bigger picture.

Cornerback concerns

For all of the questions about Kristian Fulton’s lack of playing time, the results on Sunday were just as confusing for Chiefs Kingdom. Steve Spagnuolo decided to give Fulton playing time coming out of the bye, but it was only 9 total snaps—15 percent of defensive plays. Yet in those plays, Fulton gave up a couple of big plays to Bo Nix, which crippled the Chiefs’ attempts to halt key drives against Denver.

But Fulton playing 9 total snaps doesn’t account for the fact that Nohl Williams was also without a single snap. The Chiefs’ third-round pick has been the most impressive rookie performer for the Chiefs this season and looks like a long-term starter on the boundary. His physical presence has already frustrated opposing WRs, and each week gives him another chance to hone his craft. Yet against Denver, he never took the field for a single snap.

Williams averaged 24 snaps over the last four games for the Chiefs, so reducing his workload to zero feels like an extreme move in an important game. Getting Fulton into the mix should have been a priority at some point, but the whole rotation feels off.

Simmons return is gold

Andy Reid refused to disclose whether or not Josh Simmons might reclaim his starting role immediately following his return after a full month away from the team. While Simmons is the long-term left tackle, it felt possible that the Chiefs might stick with Jaylon Moore in Week 11 or ease Simmons in with some sort of load management plan.

One silver lining from the Chiefs’ loss to the Broncos is how good Simmons looked—and the fact that he played 100 percent of snaps. Simmons raises the ceiling on the entire offense, and his ability to step right back in as a franchise cornerstone up front is heartening for the road ahead.

Speaking of offensive line…

Let’s not forget that, going into the bye, Trey Smith’s back was a major concern. The Chiefs sat him in Week 8 against the Washington Commanders after he’d missed practice with back spasms. He was still limited going into Week 9, but the Chiefs allowed him to play despite dealing with pain all week long. However, it appears after an extra week of rest, Smith was back and able to suit up for 100 percent of snaps. That’s a good sign going forward, especially if Andy Reid decides to let his maulers do the mauling in the run game going forward.

Depth is a real concern

The Chiefs are going to lean on their most important players in the most important times, but aging players typically fare better if they’re able to stay fresh. Alas, that was not the case for multiple veterans on Sunday.

The Chiefs played Chris Jones on 84 percent of snaps, which is no surprise because there’s little effective depth behind him in terms of disruption (especially after losing Omarr Norman-Lott to an ACL tear). Travis Kelce looked good against Denver while playing nearly 80 percent of snaps, but the Chiefs are leaning on him much more in the last few games than they were in October. Kareem Hunt, without Isiah Pacheco around him, took on 80 percent of the backfield workload, which is not a tenable number for long-term success.

It’s clear from snap counts that the Chiefs were feeling the season slip away from them during Sunday’s loss. Load management only matters if there’s something to save players for. That trend will likely continue until the playoff picture is more positive for K.C.