Still unsigned is TE Michael Merritt, Kansas City's round 7-b draft pick from Central Florida who has yet to be medically cleared to sign and play.

--DT Tank Tyler, Kansas City's second-round draft pick in 2007, will play in Glenn Dorsey's first-team position while Dorsey recovers from the sprained knee that might sideline him for more than a week.

--T Herb Taylor will man the left tackle spot opened when rookie Branden Albert went down for an indefinite period with an ankle injury. Taylor, a sixth-round pick in 2007, played in only two games last year.

--LB Pat Thomas appears to have moved ahead of incumbent Napoleon Harris as the first-team middle linebacker. The Chiefs, openly concerned about Harris' play in pass coverage last year, are either trying to send Harris a message or looking for a permanent replacement. The latter is most likely.

--LB Demorrio Williams, one of the Chiefs' few unrestricted free agent acquisitions this past offseason, will get first-team snaps at weakside linebacker while incumbent Donnie Edwards is dealing with a recurring hamstring problem. Williams was acquired to either back up Edwards or push him for a starting spot. But his elevation to the first team appears to be more injury-based than merit based.

--QB Tyler Thigpen, a second-year player who was active for only one game in his 2007 rookie season, is taking most of the second-team snaps ahead of veteran Damon Huard, a nine-game starter last year. This may be more by design than merit. The Chiefs, anxious to develop a young quarterback, gave Thigpen and Brodie Croyle almost all the spring snaps.

--FB Oliver Hoyte, a transplanted linebacker, has asked to return to the LB position he played when he came into the league with Dallas. The Chiefs seem ready to give the fullback job to Mike Cox, an undrafted rookie who was coordinator Chan Gailey's fullback last year at Georgia Tech.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: G Brian Waters -- The three-time Pro Bowl guard, who failed to receive postseason honors last year, is playing like a man determined to restore his much-deserved status as one of the league's top interior linemen. He's a little slimmer and stronger following a new dietary regimen, and working daily against top draft pick Glenn Dorsey seems to inspire him. "I don't want to be on the Glenn Dorsey highlight tape," he has joked. But with the KC offensive line in transition at every spot but his, Waters has played like the team leader the Chiefs need him to be.

BATTLE OF THE WEEK: 16-game veteran Nick Novak vs. undrafted rookie Connor Barth -- Novak and Barth continue to give coaches little with which to separate themselves in the battle for the placekicker position. Barth missed one of three field goals in the Vikings workout, then Novak missed one in the Family Fun Night practice. Novak might have slightly more distance on kickoffs, as seen in special teams workouts, but this battle will come down to performance under the lights in the preseason schedule.

OTHER BATTLE FRONTS: Fourth-year player Pat Thomas has been taking most of the first-team snaps at middle linebacker over incumbent Napoleon Harris, but a change here hasn't been written in stone. ... Devard Darling appears to have the edge over Jeff Webb and rookie draftee Will Franklin for the No. 2 receiver spot opposite Dwayne Bowe, but the battle for the No. 3 spot is wide open.

ROOKIE REPORT: DT Glenn Dorsey was starting to make some plays before his Aug. 2 knee injury, which could sideline him more than a week. ... LT Branden Albert's July 31 ankle injury could cause him to miss the rest of the Wisconsin part of the Chiefs camp, and maybe beyond. He remains the team's best candidate at left tackle, though his development will be postponed by the recurrence of a spring injury. ... Second-round DB Brandon Flowers maintains his hold on the starting right CB spot. ... RB Jamaal Charles, getting more reps because of injuries to backup RB candidates Kolby Smith and Jackie Battle, had a couple of anxious, feet-tangling slips during the Vikings workout, but broke an impressive untouched run during Family Fun Night. ... TE Brad Cottam is showing better hands after 10 days of camp than he did in spring workouts. He continues to be a starter (with Tony Gonzalez) in twin tight end packages. ... Third-round S DaJuan Morgan has had a solid camp and could cut into SS Bernard Pollard's starting time later this season. ... WR Will Franklin remains a leading candidate to play in three-wideout packages. ... CB Brandon Carr, a fifth-round pick, continues to cover outside receivers in the first-team nickel. He's been getting first-team reps at LCB when vet Patrick Surtain gets a day off. ... Sixth-round T Barry Richardson has been getting first-team reps when veteran RT Damion McIntosh gets a day off, something happening more frequently as the nine-year vet battles recurring knee soreness. ... Seventh-round DE Brian Johnston has been slowed by a shoulder injury that cost him nearly a week of practice time at a point when he was contending for work in the nickel. ... Undrafted FB Mike Cox appears to have clinched the starting fullback job when the Chiefs play a two-back set. He's catching the ball nicely out of the backfield when given limited opportunities to touch the ball.

INJURY REPORT: DT Glenn Dorsey likely is out about a week after spraining a knee Aug. 2.

LT Branden Albert seems more week-to-week than day-to-day after reinjuring the ankle that cost him two weeks of spring ball.

LB Donnie Edwards is fighting age and a recurring hamstring problem.

Starting DE Tamba Hali has an injury to the bridge of his nose that's causing him to miss practice and could affect his status for the Chicago preseason opener.

Backup RB candidates Jackie Battle (shoulder) and Kolby Smith (groin) missed practice time last week.

Starting DT Ron Edwards has missed limited time with a groin.

Backup DT T.J. Jackson, who had a strong spring, is slowed by an ankle.

WR Kevin Robinson, a sixth-round pick who was expected to contend for return duties, has yet to work while recovering from offseason cleanup surgery.

Play FOX FANTASY FOOTBALL TODAY!