WR Rashee Rice posted unspectacular numbers Monday, in a game that saw the entire Chiefs offense disappoint vs. the Raiders. But his 6 receptions for 57 yards didn't kill your fantasy lineup. And Rice's 12 targets marked a season high as well as 27.3% of QB Patrick Mahomes' total pass attempts for the game. Rice has now seen 9+ targets in five straight games, earning a 26.2% target share over that span while averaging 7.6 catches and 78.2 yards per contest. Rice should remain glued to your lineup for a high-upside matchup with the Bengals in Week 17. He'll get another positive spot against the Chargers in Week 18, if your league plays that week.
Chiefs WR Rashee Rice tallied 9 catches on as many targets for 94 receiving yards and a TD in Week 15’s win vs. the Patriots. The rookie has now caught at least 7 passes in each of the last four weeks and ranks first on the team in targets (38), receptions (32), and receiving yards (334) in that span. At this point, fantasy managers can be reasonably certain that Rice will be a WR2 in lineups for the remainder of the season. Next week, the Chiefs will face off against the Raiders (10th-toughest WR matchup per our adjusted fantasy points allowed).
Chiefs rookie WR Rashee Rice ran a route on a season-high 82.2% of QB Patrick Mahomes' dropbacks in Sunday's loss to the Bills. He trailed only TE Travis Kelce in routes, running 9 more than anyone else on the team, according to Pro Football Focus. That helped Rice match Kelce for a team-high 10 targets and lead the Chiefs in receptions (7). Rice looks like a weekly WR3 with WR2 upside in fantasy football lineups the rest of the way.
Congratulations to all the fantasy managers out there who waited patiently for the breakout game from Chiefs WR Rashee Rice. The rookie hauled in 8 of his team-high 10 targets in Week 12 vs. the Raiders for 109 receiving yards and a TD. What’s exciting here is that his 71% route participation rate and 31.3% target share from this contest are Rice’s highest marks this season. Some of this bump in usage can be attributed to the fact that his teammate Mecole Hardman landed on IR with a thumb injury, and Kadarius Toney (ankle, hip) was inactive on Sunday, but that shouldn’t discount the fact that Rice stepped up to the plate for a Chiefs’ offense that’d been struggling of late. It’ll be intriguing to see if the Chiefs will maintain his usage next week in a decent matchup vs. the Packers (24th in pass defense DVOA in 2023). At the very least, Rice will be worth keeping on the flex monitor in lineups.
Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney (ankle, hip) has been ruled out for Sunday's game vs. the Raiders. With WR Mecole Hardman (thumb) on IR, the Chiefs are down to five WRs: Rashee Rice, Justin Watson, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore, and Richie James. Rice remains the top fantasy option here but still ran a route on just 52% of pass plays coming off the bye last week. Watson led the way with a 66% route rate and 11 targets in that loss to the Eagles but would still be tough to trust in Week 12 fantasy lineups.
Chiefs WR Rashee Rice scored his fourth TD of the season in Sunday’s win over Miami. The rookie saw only 2 targets – a 6% share – but found the end zone on a first quarter screen pass. Entering Sunday, he had recorded 4+ catches in four straight. He'll remain a WR3/FLEX option (vs. Philly) after a Week 10 bye.
Chiefs WR Rashee Rice delivered 5 receptions for 60 yards and a TD among 6 targets in Sunday's win over the Chargers. He ranked second on the team in targets in a game that saw QB Patrick Mahomes attempt 42 throws. It was Rice's third straight game with at least 4 receptions, as well as Mahomes' third straight game with at least 40 attempts. Rice's 75% catch rate doesn't seem likely to hold up the rest of the way, but his growing role with (arguably?) the league's best QB sets Rice up to continue his strong efficiency. Rice should at least be in your WR4-level consideration going forward and could easily climb into weekly WR3 territory -- especially if Kansas City's passing volume stays up. WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling also scored against the Chargers and ranked second on the team with 84 receiving yards. But he also managed just 3 receptions -- which happens to be his high for the season. MVS remains only a prayer-level fantasy play if you're hard up.
Chiefs WR Justin Watson dislocated his elbow in Thursday night's win over the Broncos, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. X-rays came back clean, but Watson is still scheduled for an MRI. "He's out a few weeks at least, and it could be longer based on the results of the scans," Rapoport adds. Watson has played 44% of Kansas City's offensive snaps and garnered 17 targets through six games, so his absence opens up a little opportunity for the other Chiefs WRs.
Chiefs WR Rashee Rice garnered 5 targets on only 10 routes run in Week 5. It’s eye-popping efficiency for the rising rookie, who tallied 4 grabs, 33 yards, and 1 score. Ahead of Rice, Chiefs WRs ranked as follows in routes: Marquez Valdes-Scantling (29), Justin Watson (23), Skyy Moore (23), Kadarius Toney (10). Rice also played only 20 snaps. So, the rookie will need to see the field more often to become a viable WR3/FLEX, but that’s the potential here – especially as bye weeks continue rolling in. Rice squares off with the Broncos on Thursday night.
Chiefs TE Travis Kelce posted 6 catches on 9 targets with a team-leading 60 receiving yards in Week 4's win vs. the Jets. Unfortunately, the other Chiefs' TE Noah Gray was the one found the end zone on a 34-yard dart in the contest. Rookie Rashee Rice didn't have the biggest day on the field (3 catches, 32 yards). Still, his 5 targets were considerably more than his teammates Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, each of whom received 2 targets apiece. It'll be worth stashing Rice on benches if he's still available in your leagues. Next week, the Chiefs will take on the Vikings.
Chiefs TE Travis Kelce delivered another classic performance with 7 catches on 8 targets for 69 yards and a TD in Week 3 vs. the Bears. This game was never close, as the Chiefs led 34-0 by halftime. It’s worth mentioning that rookie WR Rashee Rice also had some success on Sunday, with 5 catches on 7 targets for 59 yards. He logged 3 catches for 39 yards before the Chiefs rested most of their starting players by the end, so there’s some reason to be excited about this development. Kelce will look to further impress his new lady friend Taylor Swift in Week 4 vs. the Jets.
Chiefs rookie WR Rashee Rice was on the receiving end of QB Patrick Mahomes' first TD of the 2023 season. Rice worked himself free in the back of the end zone for a one-yard score in Thursday night's season opener vs. the Lions. He finished with just three catches for 29 yards, but Rice's five targets tied for the team lead. And he certainly out-played WRs Skyy Moore and Kadarius Toney, who combined to catch one of eight targets. Rice ranked just fifth among Chiefs WRs with a 27% route rate, so he's not a viable Week 2 fantasy option. But his playing time could grow quickly. Rice is worth owning in fantasy leagues of 12+ teams.
Jesse Newell of the Kansas City Star reports that Chiefs WR Skyy Moore has worked consistently ahead of teammates Rashee Rice and Justyn Ross. He says Moore "has been with 1st every rep at training camp when KC has had 2 WRs." Rice and Ross, meanwhile, "have occasionally mixed in with 1st but overwhelmingly been with 2s." Kadarius Toney, of course, has been out since suffering a setback with the knee that has needed two operations since the end of last season. So it looks like Moore and Marquez Valdes-Scantling as the Chiefs' top two WRs at least for now. Keep that in mind for your fantasy football drafts. Moore leads all Chiefs in our WR rankings and sits much further ahead of Rice there than he does in best ball ADP.
Chiefs OC Matt Nagy gave his take on rookie WR Rashee Rice. “[Rice] comes from a no-huddle offense (Southern Methodist University). Yet it’s a little bit different with the tempo here and now, a huddle play,” Nagy explained. “Getting to the line of scrimmage, running your route, having conversions with it and yet being on time, jogging back and doing it again… He came in phenomenal shape here to this training camp — and I think every day, he’s made incremental improvements. It’s exciting for us because the sky’s the roof for his talent.” The Round 2 pick projects in a rotational role out of the gate, but there are snaps up for grabs in the Chiefs’ WR corps.
Chiefs HC Andy Reid revealed Tuesday that WR Kadarius Toney has had surgery to clean up the cartilage in his troublesome knee. It's the same knee in which Toney had another "cleanup" procedure this offseason. Reid says "there's a chance" Toney could be ready for the start of the regular season. That means you shouldn't bet on him being there. Look for Toney to slide down our WR rankings. His absence through camp and preseason action will present opportunity in a WR corps with roles up for grabs. Just watch the ADP moves on players such as Skyy Moore and Rashee Rice, to see if anyone starts getting into overvalued range. We'll keep our eyes on reports of roles and summer performances.
Chiefs GM Brett Veach suggested that the team views rookie WR Rashee Rice as a potential replacement for WR JuJu Smith-Schuster. “He was a guy that the contested catch and the run-after-the-catch (skill) was something that really stood out," Veach said. “We did lose JuJu. It makes sense to find a guy that can do a lot of things that he can do on the inside game. He’s almost like a running back after the catch." Rice has reportedly spent time out wide, in the slot and even attached to the line of scrimmage at rookie minicamp. He played 82% of his snaps out wide at SMU last year but was in the slot for 94% of his snaps back in 2021. That positional versatility can only help Rice's chances of earning a significant role as a rookie.
The Chiefs selected SMU WR Rashee Rice in Round 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft. Rice is coming off a huge 2022 season: 96 catches, 1,355 yards, and 10 TDs. He ranked ninth among 286 qualifying WRs in yards per route run (3.05) and seventh in Pro Football Focus receiving grade. He also led SMU in catches as a sophomore and junior. Rice isn’t a burner (4.51-second 40 time) but has the leaping ability, body control, and ball skills to win contested balls downfield. He led the FBS with 18 receptions 20+ yards downfield last year. Rice helped himself at the Combine with a 95th percentile Relative Athletic Score, highlighted by elite marks in the vertical and broad jumps at 6’1 and 204 pounds. He joins a depth chart featuring Kadarius Toney, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Skyy Moore. There’s room to climb into a fantasy-friendly role as soon as 2023. Longer-term, you’re chasing a potential full-time starter alongside Patrick Mahomes.
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