KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Given the way the offensive line played earlier in the season, the Kansas City Chiefs couldn’t get Donald Stephenson back in their lineup fast enough. Stephenson, the starting right tackle, was suspended by the NFL for the first four games of the season for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.

Stephenson is now eligible to return, but the line played its best game of the season in Monday night’s 41-14 win over the New England Patriots. Pro Football Focus gave both of the Chiefs' tackles, Eric Fisher on the left side and Ryan Harris on the right, their best grades of the season.

The urgency to get Stephenson back into the lineup is gone. It may be best at this point for the Chiefs to sit tight with Fisher and Harris, have Stephenson ready as a backup for Sunday’s game against the 49ers in San Francisco and then reassess if necessary during the subsequent bye.

That sounds like what coach Andy Reid has in mind.

“I’ve just got to see where he’s at," Reid said. "I really haven’t spent a whole lot of time on that part yet. I think he’s probably in pretty good shape right now. But we’ll get him back in the swing of things and see how he does."