KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Newly acquired wide receiver Kadarius Toney only has three practices under his belt with the Chiefs. Still, head coach Andy Reid believes he’s seen enough to put the electric athlete on the field Sunday night against the Tennessee Titans.
“He’s done a good job,” Reid said after Friday’s practice. “I appreciate his effort, and he’s a fast learner. We’ll see, we’ve got a couple of things in for him but let’s just see, see what happens.”
Special teams coordinator Dave Toub said Thursday that Toney was in the mix at punt returner if he’s active on Sunday night.
“Coach wants to get a look at him and then make a decision at game time, that’s literally how it’s going to go,” Toub said. “But I like what I see so far, he looks good.”
The Chiefs carried six wide receivers on game day in their last contest against San Francisco, including practice squad elevation Marcus Kemp. Keeping six receivers with Toney active against the Titans wouldn’t make a significant impact on the team’s game-day roster.
Tight end Jody Fortson, however, won’t play against the Titans after sitting out this week with both an illness and a quad contusion. Fortson sustained the injury during the Week 7 game against the 49ers. That collision with safety Talanoa Hufanga didn’t force Fortson out of the game but the severe bruising in its aftermath has limited Fortson, Reid said.
With Fortson out, the Chiefs may consider elevating tight end Jordan Franks from the practice squad.
Aside from Fortson, all 52 other players on the active roster were full participants on Friday, including linebacker Willie Gay, who was limited earlier in the week with a hamstring issue.
The full participants include rookie cornerback Trent McDuffie, who returned to the active roster this week after a six-week stint on injured reserve. With the trade of Rashad Fenton to the Atlanta Falcons this week, McDuffie is the likely starter opposite L’Jarius Sneed along with Jaylen Watson in the team’s nickel substitution package.
Reid said Friday McDuffie should have no limitations against the Titans.
“He looked good, and right now that’s what we’re thinking,” Reid said.
While Reid will also be without defensive end Frank Clark, who is serving the first game of a two-game suspension for violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy, the club is in a relatively strong injury situation compared to Titans head coach Mike Vrabel , who won’t know until Sunday whether he will have starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill available due to an ankle injury.
Tannehill was limited on Friday but the Chiefs’ defense this week prepared for both him and backup Malik Willis to play.
“Mike’s blessed with two good quarterbacks,” Reid said. “Both of them can play. I’ve had a chance to look at last week’s qame. Malik, he’s a heck of a player. He’s going to do nothing but get better, and then Tannehill, he’s a good football player. That’s not a bad situation, I wouldn’t say.”
Chiefs injury report
OUT: TE Jody Fortson
DOUBTFUL: None
QUESTIONABLE: None
Did not participate: TE Jody Fortson (quad/illness)
Limited participation: None
Full participation: LB Willie Gay (hamstring), DE Mike Danna (calf), WR Mecole Hardman (heel), CB Trent McDuffie (hamstring), RB Jerick McKinnon (shoulder), DT Derrick Nnadi (achilles) and OT Prince Tega Wanogho (rib)
Titans injury report
OUT: S Amani Hoker and FB Tory Carter
DOUBTFUL: None
QUESTIONABLE: QB Ryan Tannehill, DT Jeffery Simmons, DL Kevin Strong and OLB Bud Dupree
Did not participate: DT Jeffery Simmons (ankle), OLB Bud Dupree (illness), S Amani Hoker (shoulder) DL Kevin Strong (ankle) and FB Tory Carter (neck)
Limited participation: QB Ryan Tannehill (ankle) and C Ben Jones (not injury related)
Full participation: RB Derrick Henry (foot), DT Naquan Jones (illness), OL Aaron Brewer (toe), DL Sam Okuayinonu (knee), OLB Rashad Weaver (back), G Nate Davis (not injury related/rest) and NT Teair Tart (hamstring)
