AFC West stock up, down: Will Justin Herbert skyrocket into MVP race?

With the preseason behind us, here's a look at whose stock is up and down in the AFC West ahead of the start of the regular season.

Stock up

Jaleel McLaughlin, Denver Broncos, running back: The undrafted rookie out of Youngstown State overcame concerns about his size (5-foot-7, 187 pounds) and earned a spot on the 53-man roster. He also impressed teammates after rushing for 113 yards in preseason.
"You see some things on film, some cuts are like, 'I don't even know how he saw that,'" Broncos offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey recently said of the rookie, per Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post. "Jaleel's going to have a hell of a career, man." Denver must improve its ground attack after finishing 21st in rushing yards last season. Since head coach Sean Payton's system relies on multiple backs, expect an increased workload for the 22-year-old.

Skyy Moore, Kansas City Chiefs, wide receiver: Moore only had 22 catches for 250 yards in 16 games during his rookie season. But the second-round pick should break out because he's earned the trust of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. "I'm excited for him to go out there and show everybody what I've been seeing," the two-time MVP said of Moore in a Sunday news conference. Young wideouts typically flourish during their second year in Chiefs head coach Andy Reid's system. For example, former Eagles WR DeSean Jackson made his first Pro Bowl in 2009. Given Moore's trajectory, he may become a star.

Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers, quarterback: Herbert is an elite QB who threw for the second-most passing yards (4,739 in 17 games) in the NFL last season. However, the Chargers believe he could surpass that mark under new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.
"Don't be surprised if Herbert sets statistical career highs across the board," wrote ESPN's Dan Graziano. "The Chargers believe that they saw evidence of this throughout camp and that their fourth-year signal-caller could be headed to another level." The 25-year-old will enter the MVP discussion this season. Per OddsChecker, he's tied for the fourth-best odds (+1200) of winning the award.

Stock down

Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos, running back: Williams — who suffered an ACL/LCL tear last season — will play in Week 1. Yet Denver could limit his workload and make Samaje Perine the lead back. "It may be fair to peg Williams for a lesser role during the first month of the season as he continues to find rhythm," wrote The Athletic's Nick Kosmider. While this isn't a massive alarm since Denver is just exercising extra caution, Broncos fans should tamper expectations because Williams won't rebound immediately.

Kansas City Chiefs pass rush: Star defensive tackle Chris Jones — who has one year left on his contract — is still holding out. On X, formerly known as Twitter, the Pro Bowler said he's willing to sit out until "Week 8." In a Tuesday news conference, Reid said there's been "no progress" on a new deal for Jones, meaning he probably won't play against the Lions on Thursday. Unless someone steps up, the Chiefs pass rush will struggle without Jones. Last season, the 29-year-old accounted for more than 25 percent of the team's sacks (55) with 15.5 in 17 games.

Chandler Jones, Las Vegas Raiders, defensive end: Jones was already on thin ice after recording only 4.5 sacks in 15 games last season. His days in Las Vegas could be numbered since he blasted head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler while claiming the organization forbade him from working out at its facility. Per Pro Football Talk's Josh Alper, the 33-year-old wrote on a deleted Instagram story, "I don't wanna play for the Raiders if that's my HC or GM." During a Wednesday news conference, McDaniels said Jones wasn't at practice due to a "personal situation." The Raiders selected DE Tyree Wilson with the seventh pick in the draft to eventually replace Jones. So Las Vegas could trade the former Pro Bowler if it doesn't want to make amends.