The Kansas City Chiefs selected seven rookies in the 2026 NFL Draft, several of whom are expected to play sizable roles on both sides of the ball. While relying on first-year players is risky, striking gold on these draft picks offers a massive reward.K.C. rookies will account for several areas of the defense and potentially even one spot on the offensive line. These are all questions that will be answered in the next few weeks of training camp. As of right now, which Chiefs rookies are rising on Andy Reid's depth chart, and which are falling? Here's a look at some of the youngsters early on.CB Mansoor DelaneIt has been a rather uneventful start to training camp for Delane, the No. 6 pick in the draft this past April. He has sat out several practices and, when he has suited up, it has been in a yellow non-contact jersey without pads as he nurses a shoulder injury. Delane has a stable hold on his job and his spot is locked up regardless of how training camp transpires. The bigger question is whether Nohl Williams or Kristian Fulton starts opposite him on the boundary.If Delane isn't the Chiefs' CB1 at some point this season, that's a problem because his expectations are incredibly high.DT Peter WoodsKansas City's other first-round pick from this draft has remained fluid on the depth chart as the next-in-line defensive tackle option behind Chris Jones and Khyiris Tonga. The Clemson product has played well at the start of camp, though the coaching staff has expressed some caution with Woods, who still appears to be getting down his discipline and other things he has to correct. Woods will certainly play some sort of role during his rookie season, but it's difficult to say what kind. He'll certainly get reps in the preseason and could see time on passing downs in the regular season.Woods isn't necessarily a "faller" on the depth chart, but he hasn't done much to make us believe he'll be a riser yet. It will understandably take him some time as a 21-year-old to get adjusted to the NFL.WR Cyrus AllenAllen is rising up the depth chart faster than anyone could have expected entering training camp. He has taken a firm hold of the WR3 job, even after an injury scare limited his practice reps over the past week. While Tyquan Thornton, Jalen Royals, and Andrew Armstrong are trying to push him for snaps, Allen has emerged as the clear third receiver for Patrick Mahomes. He has flashed his athleticism during camp and quickly earned the trust of Kansas City's superstar quarterback. The former Cincinnati wideout has also become a fan favorite, which has led to high expectations for the regular season. It is now only a matter of time before the team officially lists him as the WR3.OT Kahlil BensonBenson, who is months removed from winning a national championship at Indiana, has been the best story of training camp for the Chiefs. The undrafted free agent signed with K.C. after he wasn't picked and is not only making a name for himself, but has a legitimate shot at winning the right tackle job.Benson's surge initially began when he started taking first-team reps away from Jaylon Moore on the outside. He's been running with the top group since the second day of camp this summer. Additionally, the coaching staff is putting him in new situations as he continues to grow. When Trey Smith was sidelined at right guard earlier this week, they slid Benson to his spot and started Moore at right tackle, signifying they are adamant about finding him a spot on the 53-man roster.Until Benson is actually listed as the starting right tackle at the beginning of the season, it's still rather unlikely that he starts Week 1 against the Broncos. Still, he continues to rise on the depth chart unlike anyone could have imagined.RB Emmett JohnsonA fifth-round rookie out of Nebraska, Johnson was expected to take the RB2 job behind Kenneth Walker III early in training camp. Unfortunately for him, that has not been the case, making him one of the biggest fallers among their rookie class.Right now, returning tailback Brashard Smith is the clear candidate to receive third-down work when Walker is sitting out. Johnson is the fourth RB in the pecking order right now and has a ways to go before he can be considered a serious threat in this offense.DE R Mason ThomasThomas is experiencing a bit of a slow start in his first training camp, sliding behind the initial pack and sitting behind George Karlaftis on the depth chart. Although he's a second-round pick who the coaching staff views highly, he will need to gain a lot of ground to rise on the depth chart before the beginning of the season. He is viewed as more of a long-term project rather than an immediate contributor like some of the other rookies.CB Jadon CanadyCanady is a sneaky option to receive snaps at nickel corner as he competes with Chris Roland-Wallace and Kader Kohou for playing time. The undersized rookie from Oregon is quietly having a very good camp and should rise on the depth chart soon.Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow