The Kansas City Chiefs notched a 19-16 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in preseason Week 1.

The starting unit didn’t get much playing time and the bulk of the work came from the depth players for Kansas City. A number of players on the offensive and defensive side of the ball stood out in their first action of the preseason. Specifically, on the defensive side of the ball, the Chiefs managed a number of impressive performances in the trenches and in coverage.

Here are three standout players from the Chiefs’ preseason opener:

DE Tim Ward

AP Photo/Tony Avelar

Tim Ward is finally starting to show the potential that Chiefs GM Brett Veach was excited about when he was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Villanova three seasons ago. Ward flashed in Week 17 against the Los Angeles Chargers last season. In his first preseason game of 2021, he made a strong case for the 53-man roster.

According to Pro Football Focus, Ward recorded three total pressures on the night including, two sacks and one hurry. He also had five stops and a forced fumble on the evening. He notched a sack on what would be the final play of the game, putting the Week 1 victory on ice for Kansas City.

It’s hard to ask for a better performance from Ward. His emergence could help put the Chiefs’ defensive line depth over the top.

CB Deandre Baker

AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann

If you felt like Deandre Baker had a really nice game against the 49ers, your eyes were not deceiving you. He was all over the field and had a really impressive night in coverage. According to Pro Football Focus, Baker was targeted six times and allowed zero completions. He also had two pass breakups on the night.

After the femur fracture that Baker suffered in 2020, it’s good to see him running, cutting and shutting things down in coverage. This is why the New York Giants made him a first-round draft pick back in 2019. If there’s one complaint on the night, Baker didn’t record any tackles. You’d like to see how he handles that type of physicality after the injury.

This was a really good start for a player who is battling for a starting job in Kansas City.

DT Tershawn Wharton

Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

I could write something positive about basically any interior defensive lineman that played for the Chiefs on Saturday. They were just that good during their preseason debut, but one player did stand out above the rest.

Chiefs’ second-year defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton, who has also put together a very strong training camp, was outright dominant against the 49ers. According to Pro Football Focus, Wharton recorded four total pressures, including a sack, two hurries and a hit. He also recorded two stops and a forced fumble on the night.

When you can get that type of performance from a player who is likely the third or fourth defensive tackle on the depth chart, you’re going to get a happy defensive coaching staff.