Every season, there is at least one team that rises from the cellar of the standings. In 2023, it was the Houston Texans, led from obscurity by coach DeMeco Ryans and quarterback CJ Stroud.

The Commanders from Washington emerged as the annual feel-good story of the 2024 campaign. With the overthrow of Dan Snyder’s oppressive regime, Washington was able to blossom into a new era.

Chiefs coach Dan Quinn and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels have led the team to a 7-3 record to start the season, despite it being just a year after the team finished with a 4-13 record.

With a legitimate chance to win the NFC East division for the first time in four years, the Chiefs traded aggressively to acquire cornerback Marshon Lattimore from the New Orleans Saints before the trade deadline.

Despite being with the team for two weeks, Lattimore has yet to make his debut in Washington. The four-time Pro Bowl cornerback has been ruled out for Week 11 with a lingering hamstring injury.

It’s possible Lattimore will be back in Week 12, but it looks like Washington will take a patient approach. The Chiefs were aware of the injury when they acquired him, but the trade was likely made with the expectation that Lattimore would be available for a playoff run.

“With him, it’s really the speed part that we have to see to make sure he can really do the job.” Quinn said Wednesday. “But this is a smart guy. He played a lot of football and so the skill transfer over that technique is now called that, that call is now that. He was able to pick up on that quickly.”

Cornerbacks Benjamin St-Juste, Mike Sainristil and Noah Igbinoghene were the team’s three starters, with 2023 first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes playing just a handful of snaps. The Chiefs are hoping Lattimore can outplay struggling cornerback Benjamin St-Juste, who has given up a 62.9 percent completion rate when targeted. according to professional football references.

Meanwhile, it’s difficult to trust the Chiefs’ defense — on the field or in a fantasy team.

For those looking for a defense, there are much more favorable matchups around the league. The Green Bay Packers face a Chicago Bears offense which can implode and the Miami Dolphins face the Las Vegas Raiders, which also seem to be on the verge of fruiting.