Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 1 practice squad elevations hint at a big change on offense, and a hedged bet on defense
The Kansas City Chiefs have officially made practice squad elevations ahead of their Week 1 matchup against the Denver Broncos. Here’s what they tell us about the team’s plans this week.
The Kansas City Chiefs have officially made their first practice squad elevations of the 2026 NFL season. This comes just ahead of their Week 1 tilt against the Denver Broncos on “Monday Night Football.”
With the Chiefs ruling out two starters ahead of the game, they’ve made some corresponding elevations. Kansas City typically doesn’t shy away from practice squad elevations, especially when they’re dealing with injuries. Sometimes they use those elevations to help offset an injury absence; other times, they can gain an advantage on special teams. In this case, they seem to be both injury- and game plan-related.
Here’s a quick reminder of the league’s practice squad elevation rules:
Practice Squad Elevation Rules
NFL clubs can elevate up to two players per week without signing them to the 53-man roster. This temporarily expands 53-man rosters to as many as 55 players, but it does not expand game-day roster limits (48).
- Players can only receive 3 standard elevations per season.
- Following the game, players automatically revert to the practice squad.
- Practice squad elevations reset for the postseason.
Chiefs elevate FB Ben VanSumeren, DT Marcus Harris from practice squad
The Chiefs announced that they have elevated FB Ben VanSumeren and DT Marcus Harris from the practice squad for Week 1 vs. the Broncos.
VanSumeren is the first true fullback that the team has had since Michael Burton. He seems to be a bigger part of the offensive plan, with the team wanting to run more under center. He is also a talented special teams player for Dave Toub to utilize.
As for Harris, his elevation is interesting. On one hand, it feels like the team is hedging their bets with star DT Chris Jones. He didn’t carry a game-day status designation on the final injury report, but Jones popped up on the Friday injury report with a calf injury. If Jones warms up and can’t go, Harris would likely replace him.
At the same time, this could just be a way to reward Harris with a game-day paycheck. He was a standout during the preseason and initially earned a 53-man roster spot. The team ultimately brought him back on the practice squad after he was released to make room for the team’s two waiver-wire claims.
