Kirby Lee/US Presswire

Larry Johnson missed eight games with a foot injury in '07, finishing with 559 yards rushing.

EXPERTS' PICKS

The Chiefs finished tied for third in the AFC West last season with a 4-12 record. For AFC West coverage, visit Bill Williamson's blog. | Discuss Chiefs | MAG preview

ANALYST	PREDICTION
Jeffri Chadiha ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 4  The Chiefs officially blew up their franchise after a four-win season in 2007. They realize there won't be much to smile about during year one of their rebuilding process.
John Clayton ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 4  The Chiefs had one of the finest drafts I've seen in years, but getting good grades from Mel Kiper doesn't translate into points. If QB Brodie Croyle can't improve the offense, the Chiefs will be drafting high again next year.
Tim Graham ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 3  They're clearly in rebuilding mode as evidenced by the trade of Jared Allen and their willingness to insert rookies into the opening-day starting lineup.
Jeremy Green Scouts Inc.	DIVISION FINISH: 4  Although the present does not look great, the future looks much better for a Kansas City team in rebuilding mode. The key is Brodie Croyle. The Chiefs are starting to put a number of pieces in place for their long-term plan, but they need to find out if Croyle can get the job done.
Paul Kuharsky ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 4  A season that will be all about getting major experience for a lot of young guys. Would be nice if they came out of it with a quarterback they can be confident in come 2009.
Matt Mosley ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 4  Sacrificed an All-Pro pass-rusher for help on the defensive and offensive lines. The move will eventually pay off, but not in 2008. Anyone think the team could use a quarterback at some point?
Mike Sando ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 4  Damon Huard was the best quarterback on this team heading into camp, but the Chiefs appear finished trying to win now. They're building for the future and might not win six games.
Kevin Seifert ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 4  The Chiefs are at the beginning of a complete rebuild. They can only hope that Brodie Croyle has improved.
James Walker ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 4  The Chiefs had a solid draft this year. But this team needs much more than a bunch of talented rookies to make it competitive.
Seth Wickersham ESPN The Magazine	DIVISION FINISH: 4  Sorry, no team quarterbacked by Brodie Croyle is scaring anyone. Too bad, because a capable passer would light up defenses with weapons like Larry Johnson, Tony Gonzalez and Dwayne Bowe.
Bill Williamson ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 4  2008 may be ugly for the Chiefs and their fans. Help is on the way. The youth movement has begun, and the rookie class will play a major role. It's all about the future in Kansas City.
Matt Williamson Scouts Inc.	DIVISION FINISH: 4  The draft fell perfectly for the Chiefs. That crop of talent along with Dwayne Bowe provide an excellent base to build from. The next project will be to find someone to lead this offense and further add to the offensive line. But in the short term, Kansas City might not win five games.
Pat Yasinskas ESPN.com	DIVISION FINISH: 4  Herm Edwards has admitted this is a rebuilding process, and that's pretty obvious. Trading sack leader Jared Allen for draft picks was a pretty good sign.
	CONSENSUS DIVISION FINISH: 4 | NFL standings

BEST OF THE CHIEFS

Best draft: The Chiefs are getting major kudos for their draft class. The team expects eight or nine rookies to play major roles this season as they try to begin the rebuilding process.

Best rookie: Of all the rookies, Glenn Dorsey stands out. The defensive tackle from Louisiana State was a steal at No. 5. He is a disruptive force who is the centerpiece of the Chiefs' defense.

Best hero: Tight end Tony Gonzalez. The future Hall of Famer made worldwide headlines this summer when he performed the Heimlich maneuver on a stranger who was choking in a Southern California restaurant. And Gonzalez remains a pretty sold football player, too.

Best relief: Rookie running back Jamaal Charles is expected to get some carries to take pressure off running back Larry Johnson. Johnson was an iron man before he injured his foot last year. Johnson still has plenty of tread on the tires, but the addition of Charles will help.

Best receiver: Second-year player Dwayne Bowe is a future star. He gives the Chiefs' offense a lot of hope. Bowe is a poised playmaker who will only get better.

-- Bill Williamson, ESPN.com

SCOUTS INC.'S FAB FIVE

Scouts Inc. has evaluated and graded more than 2,400 NFL players heading into the 2008 season, giving Insiders a leg up on the competition with exclusive grades, alerts and scouting reports.
Top five players	ANALYSIS
1. Tony Gonzalez Tight end 6-5 | 251	(Grade 84) He is one of the most prolific receiving tight ends in NFL history. Gonzalez is an outstanding athlete with great receiving skills. Plus, his leadership on and off the field shouldn't be underestimated.
2. Larry Johnson Running back 6-1 | 230	(83) He is an excellent combination of size, strength and athleticism. He's an instinctive runner who uses a combination of vision and patience to hit the hole. He has good hands and is an asset in the passing game.
3. Derrick Johnson Linebacker 6-3 | 242	(79) He is an outstanding combination of size, strength and athletic ability. Johnson is at his best in space pursuing the ball. He has excellent range, great speed and quickness, with agility to close to the play.
3. Dwayne Bowe Wide receiver 6-2 | 221	(79) He is coming off an impressive rookie season where he lived up to his first-round draft billing. Bowe has outstanding size, strength and athleticism. He has great foot agility, balance and quickness.
5. Brian Waters Guard 6-3 | 320	(75) He is a short, thickly built nine-year veteran who has good natural strength and above-average athleticism. He is a good combination of power and athletic ability. Waters has good initial quickness to engage defenders.
Player grading scale: Elite (90-100), outstanding (80-89), solid starter (75-79), good starter (70-74)

SCOUTS INC.'S ANALYSIS

Best play option RB Larry Johnson is the Chiefs' best weapon. Here's a play Kansas City will run countless times to let him break free on the outside. More best plays

Strengths

Youth movement: Kansas City hit one out of the park with last year's first-round pick, WR Dwayne Bowe. This past draft also set up very nicely for the Chiefs as they got DT Glen Dorsey, LT Brandon Albert and several other quality selections. Dorsey, a true three-technique defensive tackle, should be the player this defense is built around, and Albert has the ability to play left tackle and, as a fallback plan, could excel on the right side or at guard.

Linebackers: Kansas City signed Demorrio Williams from Atlanta this offseason. His playmaking presence at outside linebacker gives the Chiefs four capable linebackers. Derrick Johnson, the other outside linebacker, is the best of the bunch. He has tremendous speed and should only improve.

Gonzalez, Bowe: Overall, Kansas City's pass-catchers are not all that overwhelming, but they do have two very good ones in Bowe and TE Tony Gonzalez. It would be interesting to see what kind of numbers these two could put up in a more favorable situation. While Bowe is a building block, Gonzalez may be on his way out by the time Kansas City becomes a contender again.

Weaknesses

Quarterback: No surprise here. Brodie Croyle has done very little to make anyone think that he is the long-term answer. He should have the majority of this season to prove the doubters wrong, but if he fails, Kansas City surely will address this position as a top priority next offseason.

Offensive line: The line was atrocious last year. Albert is a fine prospect, but not only will he be adjusting to the speed of the NFL, he is moving from guard to left tackle. He will surely find a home somewhere on the line and has excellent long-term potential, but he is the only big ugly you can really say that about.

Pass rush: DE Jared Allen (traded to Vikings) will be missed coming off the right edge. Tamba Hali, a decent young player but no Allen, will move to the right side. Dorsey will surely help in the middle, but this Cover 2 scheme that is based on rushing four players is at least one guy short.

Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles.