KCSN Weekly: Chiefs Get Their First Live Look, Royals Keep Sliding, Cags Stayed Hot and Ogbah Is Back in KC
A weekly look at everything happening across Kansas City sports.
Chiefs Kingdom finally gets to react to something live tomorrow following an early exit from the 2026 season. The Royals had another rough week, but Jac Caglianone continues to be one of the few bright spots in Kansas City. Here is where things stand heading into the weekend.
Chiefs Check-in: Preseason Week One Is Here + More Updates
The Chiefs take on the Los Angeles Rams tomorrow afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium, and for the first time since the first week of 2026, fans will get to see this roster in action. How much of the roster, exactly, remains to be seen.
Patrick Mahomes will not suit up, which was expected. He has been a full participant in camp since being cleared by the medical staff, and things are trending well for the Week 1 opener against the Denver Broncos on September 14. But there is no point in risking it in an exhibition, particularly against a team the Chiefs will see again in the regular season.
Beyond Mahomes, the working assumption is that Drue Tranquill (back), Mansoor Delane (shoulder), Trey Smith (hip), Ashton Gillotte (hamstring), and L’Jarius Sneed (Knee) will not play either. Omarr Norman-Lott remains on the PUP list. Xavier Worthy (shoulder), Kristian Fulton (hip), and Cyrus Allen (shin) have all worked their way back from their respective injuries in recent days, so their deployment will depend on what the coaching staff decides.
The names to watch on offense are quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, running back Emmett Johnson, and wide receivers Jalen Royals and Andrew Armstrong. All four should get significant runway. As for Kahlil Benson, expect him to start at guard in place of Smith before kicking out to tackle once the backups take over. It will be the most live evaluation yet of whether his camp performance translates to a real football game.
On defense, it is the first chance to see the rookie class in action. Peter Woods dealt with an ankle flare-up earlier this week, so his availability is uncertain, but you should see defensive end R Mason Thomas and nickelback Jadon Canady for certain.
The biggest roster move of the week was the signing of defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah, who was part of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV championship team in 2019. The 32-year-old spent the bulk of his post-Chiefs career with the Miami Dolphins and most recently played last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He joins a rotation that has been thin, consisting of George Karlaftis, Gillotte, Thomas, and Felix Anudike-Uzomah. Ogbah is not going to elevate the ceiling of that group, but adding a veteran presence to a young room raises the floor, and right now that counts for something.
Royals Report: Caglianone Shines Amidst a Struggling Week
It was another difficult week for the Royals, who dropped two of three to the Chicago Cubs before getting swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers to fall to 49-73 on the season. The rotation did not have much to offer outside of quality starts from Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha, who each went at least six innings while allowing three earned runs.
The rest of the week was forgettable.
The one exception, as has been the case for much of the second half, was Jac Caglianone. The young slugger hit .500 for the week and slugged three home runs, two doubles, and eight RBI. He has been one of the most productive bats in baseball over the past several weeks, and his emergence has been one of the few genuine feel-good stories of an otherwise difficult season.
On the prospect front, there was some exciting news. Carson Roccaforte became just the second Northwest Arkansas Naturals player in team history to reach 30 home runs in a season, and he did it with more than a month remaining. The 24-year-old outfielder out of Louisiana Lafayette is hitting .249 with 78 RBI for the Double-A affiliate.
Meanwhile, star third baseman Maikel Garcia is beginning a second rehab stint and will join Roccaforte with the Naturals this week as he works his way back from his hand injury.
Looking ahead to 2027, MLB and Universal Pictures announced that the Royals and Boston Red Sox will play in the Field of Dreams Game on August 12, 2027. It is one more thing for Royals fans to circle on the calendar while the present-day roster works through a rebuilding stretch.
This week, the Royals head to Los Angeles to face the Angels before returning home for four against the Athletics.
What to Watch This Week
Chiefs
vs. Los Angeles Rams Saturday at 3 p.m. CT at Arrowhead Stadium
Royals (49-73)
At Los Angeles Angels (48-74) Friday through Sunday for three
Home vs. Oakland Athletics (47-74) Monday through Thursday for four
Sporting KC
At Colorado Rapids (7-1-10) Saturday at 8:30 p.m. CT