Patriots vs. Chiefs: 6 Surprise hero candidates

2. Leonard Johnson

With Jeremy Maclin day-to-day with a high ankle sprain, his status for Saturday’s game is in doubt. Should Maclin miss the game, the Chiefs’ top wide receivers will be Albert Wilson and Chris Conley. Those two players combined for just 650 yards and three touchdowns on 53 receptions. Suffice to say, the Chiefs don’t use wide receivers not named Maclin very often.

Patriots vs. Chiefs: 6 Surprise hero candidates

The Patriots’ cornerbacks will matchup very well across the board, even if Maclin is on the field (Malcolm Butler is capable of handling the former Eagle, as is Logan Ryan with safety help). Johnson will get the No. 3 matchup, an assignment in which he should thrive. Since coming to New England, Johnson has been a pleasant surprise—a few hiccups here and there, but for the most part, a welcome addition to the nickel role.

Here’s what Belichick said when the Patriots signed Johnson early last month:

"Leonard’s young, played quite a bit of football, started games, played inside, played outside. He has some versatility. We worked against him in our Tampa practices and so forth, played against him."

Johnson can be considered a surprise hero candidate because he is now more accustomed to the Patriots’ defensive scheme, and he should have a favorable matchup against the Chiefs’ undermanned receiving corps.

Next: 1. James White