Kansas City’s rookie left tackle Josh Simmons is laser-focused on technique and communication as he prepares for the 2025 regular season. His preseason displays showed solid run-blocking moments, but pass protection remains a priority as he works to fix stance and balance under watchful coaching from Andy Heck. With a strong preseason and a likely Week 1 start, Simmons is positioned to anchor KC’s line and protect Patrick Mahomes, while still growing chemistry with a new-look unit.

Simmons emphasizes over-communication to keep the line aligned and directed, a nod to the Chiefs’ high-tempo offense. He acknowledges faster NFL edge rushers demand universal, square sets and improved footwork, promising improvement in pass sets. Friday’s game against Chicago looms as a pivotal test, offering a real-world gauge of his readiness and a potential signal of KC’s Week 1 lineup.

These developments matter for fantasy and betting angles: a confident Simmons could steady KC’s protection, enabling Mahomes to maximize downfield opportunities and keep the offense’s ceiling intact. If Simmons locks in left tackle, KC’s run game and overall offensive rhythm could gain clarity, reducing volatility on the blind side and opening more predictable blocks for KC’s playmakers.

Kansas City enters 2025 with a defense-first identity, hoping to carry the load as the offense seeks more explosive plays. The unit ranked second in defensive grade last season behind the Eagles, led by Chris Jones, Nick Bolton, and Trent McDuffie, with Steve Spagnuolo again orchestrating pressure schemes. Mahomes still wins in close games, but his target depth dipped to 7.0 yards on average, hinting at a more conservative approach and a prime chance for Rashee Rice to break out if KC can improve its tackle play and left guard. Creed Humphrey anchors a strong interior, and Josh Simmons—healthy or not—will be pivotal at left tackle as first-round buzz centers on his NFL adjustment. Expect Rice to be a steady fantasy contributor with upside if explosiveness returns to the passing game, while the defense remains a fantasy backbone.

Key fantasy angles: Rice’s trajectory hinges on the O-line’s upgrade and the efficiency of Mahomes’ delivering weapons. If the line stabilizes and Simmons acclimates, Rice could approach top-tier WR volatility, especially with Mahomes’ penchant for clutch production. Chris Jones remains a high-end DL option whose pressure count should keep KC’s defense elite. Humphrey’s durability and Bolton’s linebacker play add insurance for fantasy defenses and the Chiefs’ overall floor. In short, KC remains a top fantasy asset mix: Rice as a breakout candidate, Mahomes as a steady QB1, and Jones/ Bolton/McDuffie anchoring a stifling group that should maintain elite week-to-week upside.

Kansas City’s rookie left tackle Josh Simmons showed steady learning in his preseason debut, with Andy Heck noting he’s steadily adding the tiny but critical details—footwork, assignments, techniques—that make each play work. Simmons’ polish has impressed, even as Heck avoids direct comparisons to anyone he’s coached before, emphasizing a learning curve and communication as his path to growth. Simmons earned Third-Team All-Big Ten honors at Ohio State before a patellar tendon injury ended his college career, and KC is counting on that pedigree to help him evolve in camp.

In the Cards game, Simmons started briefly in the starting lineup and left a positive impression, reinforcing Heck’s belief that his trajectory can rise steadily as he absorbs the offense. The Chiefs’ OL coach stressed that Simmons’ love of the game and raw talent give him a solid base, but the real question is how quickly he masters KC’s details and paces his adaptation to the NFL. The path to a potential Week 1 role, even if not immediate, looks feasible if this growth continues.

While the immediate role remains in flux, the storyline is clear: a young blocker with elite college credentials and a strong work ethic is on a measured path to contributing for the Chiefs. For fantasy and betting, Simmons’ development is a rising variable—one that could translate into better protection for Mahomes and more consistent early-down run-game sequencing if the spring-and-camp progression carries into the regular season.