River Falls, Wis. ? To the Kansas City Chiefs, multitalented Kris Wilson is a Christmas present they’ve waited all year to unwrap.

Offensive coordinator Al Saunders was starting plans for the promising tight end/wide receiver/fullback last summer when a leg injury near the end of Wilson’s first NFL preseason game put him out for almost the entire season.

A second-round draft pick out of Pittsburgh, the 250-pounder had been dazzling in his first workouts. Diving, leaping, stretching out his full 6-foot-2 frame for balls thrown high, low, wide left or wide right, he caught everything.

The Chiefs were salivating at the prospect of adding him to a supercharged attack that already featured All-Pros in tight end Tony Gonzalez, running back Priest Holmes and fullback Tony Richardson.

Then, he broke his leg.

“It was a real travesty that he got hurt,” Saunders said.

Although they knew Wilson faced a long rehabilitation, the Chiefs thought so highly of him they decided to keep him on the roster, rather than putting him on injured reserve and automatically calling an end to his season. Wilson wound up taking up a valuable roster spot for the first 13 games while rehabbing his broken left fibula.

Kansas City tight end Kris Wilson, right, blocks Keyaron Fox during an afternoon practice. Wilson, shown Friday in River Falls, Wis., is excited to play after missing most of last season because of an injury.

He finally made it onto the field for the last three games, but he was limited. Only now is he full speed.

“It was really enjoyable to see what he could do when we had him last year, when he was healthy,” Saunders said Friday.

“He’s just getting incorporated slowly in three basically three different positions. One is a tight end, one is a backfield as a fullback, and he has some wide-receiver duties. He’s a talented guy, and we’re just continuing to work with him.”

Also impressive was the way Wilson handled his time off. He was at every meeting, constantly trying to absorb as much as possible even thought he was unable to get on the field.

“I definitely made progress,” he said. “I studied my playbook. I was able to be present in meetings and watch film and even watch Tony and (backup tight end Jason Dunn) go out there and do what they do. So I do feel like I’m a lot further along this year than I was last year. I’m definitely not a raw rookie.”

Sitting out was tough.

“I’m definitely hungry. Whatever word you want to use – eager, anxious,” he said. “I’m just ready to go out there and play and do the things I expect of myself and the things people expect of me.”

He still hasn’t regained full strength.

“He was a little tired today,” head coach Dick Vermeil said. “I thought he was dragging a little bit. But he caught some balls. He’s a gifted athlete. We think he’s a real good package.”