Brashard Smith flashes in limited role and gives Chiefs fans real hope

The Kansas City Chiefs just showed out with one of their most productive offensive games in quite some time. More importantly, many players got in on the action. Kansas City was able to get plenty of playmakers rolling in a win over what was perceived to be a top AFC contender.

Xavier Worthy did not miss a beat after making his return following a shoulder injury in Week 1. The Chiefs also had a few names that popped in limited chances on Sunday. Rookie Brashard Smith was one of those players who cashed in heavily with his minimal opportunities.

Smith had an early catch on a checkdown from Patrick Mahomes. Smith turned this into a 17-yard gain and was able to make some defenders whiff along the way. In total, the rookie hauled in three passes for 27 yards. He also proved how effective he can be as a kick returner. Smith's two kick returns added up to 55 yards. His longest kick return against Baltimore was 34 yards.

The Chiefs have to like what they saw from Brashard Smith in the Week 4 win over the Ravens.

The role that Smith plays is different as a rookie seventh-rounder compared to what Isiah Pacheco faced. Pacheco was strictly utilized as a downhill runner. Any pass-catching opportunities were sprinkled in for him coming out of Rutgers.

But for Smith, he is viewed as a hybrid piece for Patrick Mahomes. His background as a converted wide receiver to running back in college aids his understanding as a pass catcher. Therefore, Smith is already confident on passing downs, whereas with some rookie running backs, it will take them quite a bit of time to get their footing in that specific area.

It was only the fourth game of Smith's young career against the Ravens. However, the SMU product has shown stellar growth over the last couple of weeks. His impact on special teams is not something that will grab major headlines. Yet, Smith has smartly attacked vertically without wasting time and space as a kick returner. Kansas City has been set up well to open a fresh drive with his simple reactions in that area.

Meanwhile, Brashard Smith stayed calm and maintained his landmarks efficiently as a pass catcher against Baltimore. There were some antsy moments and jagged routes by Smith in the early going of the season. It may not seem that tough when watching the broadcast. However, his poise to not float too far up the field when being the checkdown option was crucial for Mahomes. That allowed the K.C. signal caller to trust him and allowed Smith to gain some major yards after the catch.

The Chiefs have been fascinating when it comes to their running back usage early this season. But if Brashard Smith continues to stack progressive games on top of each other, his playing time will remain steady. Kansas City will be facing some aggressive defenses the next couple of weeks with Jacksonville and Detroit. Perhaps, Smith will be credited with increased opportunities in those games.

As Brashard Smith mentioned after the win over the Ravens, he is feeling satisfied with his own progress in the offense. "It feels great. This is my fourth game now, so I'm feeling great," Smith said. "And I feel like we're just going to keep on stacking. So I love it."