Chiefs' George Karlaftis: Upgrades to full Thursday
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Karlaftis (abdomen) was a full participant in Thursday's practice.
Karlaftis was limited Wednesday but seems fine ahead of Sunday's date with the Broncos. On the season, Karlaftis has recorded 22 tackles (12 solo), including 4.0 sacks, 13 QB hits and two pass deflections.
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Chiefs' George Karlaftis: Limited Wednesday
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Karlaftis (abdomen) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice.
The third-year pro from Purdue played 33 defensive snaps and recorded four total tackles, including 1.0 sacks, in the Chiefs' Week 9 win over the Buccaneers. However, it now appears he picked up an abdomen injury in the process. Karlaftis' participation Thursday and Friday will likely provide the best indication of whether he can play through the pain in Week 10's matchup against the Broncos.
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Chiefs' George Karlaftis: Logs sack in third straight game
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Karlaftis finished Monday's 30-24 overtime win over Tampa Bay with four tackles (three solo), including 1.0 sacks, and one pass breakup.
Karlaftis got to Baker Mayfield for a two-yard sack late in the first quarter of Monday's game. That extended his sack streak to three games, and through the first eight games of the regular season he's up to 22 tackles (12 solo), including 4.0 sacks, and two pass breakups.
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Chiefs' George Karlaftis: Records sack in win
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Karlaftis finished with three tackles (two solo), including a tackle for a loss and 1.0 sacks, in Sunday's 28-18 win over the 49ers.
The defensive end also played on 89 percent of the defensive snaps. Karlaftis has 14 tackles (eight solo), including 2.0 sacks, in six games this season.
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Chiefs' George Karlaftis: Adds to sack count in win
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Karlaftis finished Sunday's 25-17 win over the Bengals with five tackles (four solo), including 1.5 sacks.
Both of Karlaftis' sacks came in the fourth quarter. His first was split with Charles Omenihu for a seven-yard loss, and Karlaftis got a sack of his own on Jake Browning with less than two minutes to go in the game that helped seal the win for the Chiefs. Karlaftis has a team-leading 10.5 sacks over 16 games this season and is tied for 16th in the league in that category.
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Chiefs' George Karlaftis: Logs another sack in win
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Karlaftis recorded three total tackles (all solo), including one sack and one tackle for loss in Sunday's 31-17 win over the Raiders.
The 2022 first-round pick has now recorded 8.0 sacks through Kansas City's first 11 games, overtaking Chris Jones as the team's leader in that category. Karlaftis started all 17 games for the Chiefs during his rookie season, and he's already bested his 2022 totals in sacks, tackles and forced fumbles thus far. The 22-year-old seems like a budding star, and he's expected to continue wreaking havoc for Kansas City's defense for the remainder of the season.
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Chiefs' George Karlaftis: Productive in win
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Karlaftis recorded four tackles, including 1.5 sacks, in Sunday's 17-9 win at Jacksonville.
Trevor Lawrence was sacked four times in Week 2, and Karlaftis got in on the action, collecting 1.5 sacks of his own. The sophomore defensive end turned things up a notch towards the end of the 2022 season, and that play has carried into 2023, at least so far. If he keeps up the pace, he'll be a hot option in the IDP market as the season unfolds.
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Chiefs' George Karlaftis: Rounds into form late in 2022
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Karlaftis compiled 33 tackles (18 solo), six sacks and seven passes defensed during the regular season of rookie campaign in 2022.
Karlaftis took some time to round into form as a pass rusher, compiling just half a sack over the first 10 games. However, once he found his form, he never looked back. Karlaftis finished the regular season on a tear, recording 5.5 sacks over the final seven games to give the Chiefs a pass-rush threat on both sides of the defensive line opposite Frank Clark and in the middle with star defensive tackle Chris Jones. Karlaftis may go a bit under the radar entering 2023, given his overall sack total, but his strong close to the regular season could make him worth a look as a defensive line IDP in some formats next season.
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Chiefs' George Karlaftis: Taken by Kansas City in Round 1
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The Chiefs selected Karlaftis in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, 30th overall.
Karlaftis might not be as toolsy as some of the other edge defenders drafted ahead of him, but his production at Purdue can match almost anyone and there's nothing concerning in his workout metrics. At 6-foot-4, 266 pounds his 38-inch vertical jump and 121-inch broad jump indicate plus explosiveness out of his stance, and his athletic dimensions otherwise are very similar to former Purdue defensive end great Ryan Kerrigan. Most teams need more players like Karlaftis, and the Chiefs as much as any team.
