KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — John Dorsey likes to say that it takes several years before a verdict can be returned on a draft pick. There is a learning curve for rookies, often a steep one. The pro game is faster, players are stronger and the plays more complex. If that’s the case, the first two draft classes of the Chiefs’ general manager — panned so often by fans and pundits — may actually be right on track.

First-round pick Dee Ford played nearly half of the snaps in Sunday’s win over Oakland, a vast improvement over early in the season, when the linebacker barely got on the field.

Third-round pick Phillip Gaines is now starting at cornerback. Fourth-round pick De’Anthony Thomas returned a punt 81 yards for a touchdown against the Raiders. Sixth-round pick Zach Fulton has been starting at guard. Kicker Cairo Santos and wide receiver Albert Wilson, a pair of undrafted rookies, have become key components of the Chiefs’ playoff run.