The Kansas City Chiefs will open the preseason slate on Saturday, August 15th at Arrowhead Stadium. The game will kick off at 3:00 PM Arrowhead time and be broadcast locally on KSHB 41 as well as on the FM radio waves of 96.5 The Fan.
The Chiefs will welcome the Los Angeles Rams, who will also be entering the 2026 season with high expectations. Temperatures are expected to be scorching at kickoff in the August heat, and neither team’s starting lineups are expected to be on the field for long, if at all.
Here are five things to watch in the preseason opener:
1. Justin Fields
With quarterback Patrick Mahomes confirmed to not be playing on Saturday, Chiefs fans will get their first look at the full experience of Justin Fields. Kansas City is his fourth team since being drafted in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Last season, as a member of the New York Jets, Fields started nine games, throwing for 1,259 yards and seven touchdowns, while rushing for 383 yards and four touchdowns. His record as a starter was only 2-7, but with only one interception, that could be attributed to how putrid the New York Jets were.
Fields has a chance to be the best backup quarterback Mahomes has had, and he brings another dynamic to the table that past understudies have not. Fields can be a prolific runner and is dangerous in the red zone with his legs.
It will be worth watching whether the offensive brain trust puts him in position to use his legs on Saturday, or if he instinctually takes off himself on a pass play.
2. Running back rotation
There is no doubt that Kenneth Walker will be the team’s lead back for the foreseeable future, but there is real competition for who will be the immediate backups when he needs a breather.
Through training camp, Brashard Smith has taken the most snaps with the second team, but Emari Demercado’s name showed up on the unofficial depth chart that was released on Tuesday of this week. As a matter of fact, Smith was listed as the fourth back on the depth chart behind Demercado and rookie Emmet Johnson.
The team likely has a vision for all three to be on the roster, especially since they have positive, contrasting skill sets that complement one another and provide contrast to Walker’s capabilities as the lead back.
Smith has a gadget aspect to his game as well as special teams potential; Demercado has been praised for his pass blocking, and Johnson has the vision and shifty speed to eventually develop into a direct backup for Walker and a possible replacement one day.
How the snaps and touches are distributed over the next three weeks should paint a picture of how the room will look in 2026.
3. Depth at cornerback
The Chiefs’ secondary has been a topic of debate in camp, largely due to an injury-plagued cornerback unit.
First-round pick Mansoor Delane has only had one practice out of a yellow non-contact jersey, while veterans L’Jarius Sneed and Kristian Fulton have both missed significant time with injury.
It is uncertain what the Chiefs lineup will look like on Saturday, but it will open up opportunities for players like Nohl Williams to further cement his status as a valuable commodity on the roster, while giving the back end of the roster more opportunities to shine.
Players to keep an eye on will be Kader Kohou, Jadon Canady, Kevin Knowles, D’Aco Perkins-McAllister, Kair Elam, Melvin Smith Jr., and Zelmar Vedder.
Kohou and Canady will both likely see a high number of snaps as slot corners, or Nickel players, while the others will compete for playing time along the outside.
4. The rookie defensive linemen
Two Chiefs rookies have dominated the headlines in camp so far.
First-round draft pick Peter Woods has been the talk of camp, and day in and day out he has dominated as a top performer in St. Joseph.
Also drawing praise has been second-round pick R Mason Thomas out of Oklahoma. Although he has not stood out as much as Woods has, Thomas has shown to be more than just the speed threat off the edge many labeled him as coming out of Oklahoma.
The Chiefs have long needed pass-rush help alongside Chris Jones — entering his age-32 season — and Woods and Gillotte will give them a chance to develop the next generation of pass rushers alongside him.
Both players win with explosion and athleticism, and both could be impact makers early on.
Saturday will be their first test and their first time experiencing NFL game speed from the front lines.
Kahlil Benson
Undrafted rookies making the roster is rare in the NFL, let alone finding a starting role by Week 1. However, Benson will likely be out with the starting five on the offensive line come Saturday afternoon.
Starting camp as primarily the team’s right tackle with the first team, Benson could be on the path to doing something remarkable. Even though Jaylon Moore is listed as the starting right tackle on the unofficial depth chart, the snaps in camp so far have gone to Benson, and while Trey Smith has missed time with a hip injury, it has been Benson who filled in at right guard.
This week, and in live-game situations, watch how he reacts in-game, how quickly he adjusts to game speed, and the strength needed to make it in the NFL.
The difference in speed from practices to games in the NFL can be a lot for most rookies to handle. This will be a good test for Benson early in his career and will help the team figure out whether he is ready to go.