Luke Fortner and Brandon Scherff in for Jaguars vs. Chiefs: Other storylines to watch

One question surrounding the Jacksonville Jaguars heading into their bout against the Kansas City Chiefs was whether right guard Brandon Scherff and center Luke Fortner were going to suit up. Both are dealing with ankle injuries and missed practice early in the week. Head coach Doug Pederson provided a definite answer when he met with the local media Friday.

Pederson says Scherff and Fortner, along with rookie defensive lineman Tyler Lacy will play. This is great news when you take into account that defensive tackle Chris Jones ended his holdout and is back with the Chiefs. By having Scherff and Fortner in the fold, the Jags have a better shot at slowing down Jones.

On the other hand, Pederson says cornerback Gregory Junior and defensive back Antonio Johnson are out. The former appeared in two special teams snaps in the opener and the latter has yet to make his NFL debut. This means the Jags can afford to be without them when they face the Chiefs Sunday. With that in mind, here are other storylines to watch in Week 2.

3. Can Jaguars WR Christian Kirk bounce back from his quiet Week 1 performance?

Calvin Ridley showed the kind of game-changer he is in the opener, catching eight receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown. Similarly, Zay Jones and tight end Evan Engram had their fair share of targets. On the other hand, Christian Kirk, who registered more than 1,000 yards in 2022, only logged one reception for nine yards. While this doesn't look great at first sight, it's important to note that the Indianapolis Colts made a huge effort to slow him down.

Also, by being heavily covered, Kirk gave his teammates lots of opportunities to make plays. That said, Doug Pederson told the media that the former Texas A&M Aggie will have his chances against Kansas City.

"We're talking two different defenses, two different philosophies," Pederson said when comparing the Colts' and the Chiefs' defenses. "One is a zone scheme, one is a pressure-man type scheme. Christian thrives a little bit in some of the man-type schemes."

"So last week was the way the defense is, it wasn't for not trying to get him the football, ball just went other places. He'll get us some opportunities in this game. Trevor does a great job of spreading the ball around, trying to find receivers. Christian is part of it, and we got to somehow get in," Pederson said.

Just like last year, matchups will dictate who gets the ball. In some games, Ridley will get the most targets. Jones will finish with the most catches in others. Based on Pederson's comments, Kirk could be in for a big game against the Chiefs.