ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- A daily review of the hot topics coming out of Kansas City Chiefs training camp at Missouri Western State University:

• Rookie De'Anthony Thomas had perhaps his best practice at training camp so far. Thomas lines up as a running back or a receiver and made several big plays, the best being when he caught a deep fade from quarterback Alex Smith for a touchdown. That Thomas is having an impact after a week of training camp is no surprise. He missed a lot of offseason practice because of NFL rules prohibiting rookies from participating if their college, as Oregon was, was still in session. He had daily Skype sessions with running backs coach Eric Bieniemy to go over what he was missing in Kansas City, but he was still behind in learning the offense and is only now catching up. The Chiefs are also a little late in figuring out what they can and can’t do with Thomas.

• Safety Sanders Commings, who had a strained foot, practiced for the first time at training camp but didn’t finish the session. He was in the unfortunate position of having to tackle Jamaal Charles in the open field. Charles put a move on Commings that sent him crumpling to the ground. Commings was soon carted off to the locker room with a right ankle injury. The Chiefs were hopeful Commings could play as an extra defensive back in passing situations, but a second injury is ruining those chances.

• The backups got the better of the starters in an interesting goal-line drill. The starting defense allowed four touchdowns on four plays to the No. 2 offense. One of the touchdowns was a Tyler Bray pass to an uncovered Richard Gordon in the end zone. The starting offense scored just once in four plays against the backup defense, the score coming on a Knile Davis run. The offense should have had another touchdown, but tight end Demetrius Harris inexplicably wasn’t looking for Smith’s pass.

• Undrafted rookie wide receiver Albert Wilson is making a strong bid for a roster spot. Wilson received several snaps with the first team, a sign the Chiefs are encouraged about what they have in him. Wilson has been utilized both in the slot and as an outside receiver and is not only fast but has shown the ability to elude coverage. “He just looks so smooth with his routes, and he’s able to really create some space and make some friendly throwing (lanes) for us," quarterback Aaron Murray said.

• Things remain tough for cornerback Sean Smith. A former starter, Smith is now running second team. Then reserve wide receiver Mark Harrison beat him to a jump-ball catch. After making the catch, Harrison taunted Smith by flipping the ball at him.