Sportsnaut
Throughout September, many pondered whether the Chiefs needed to make a move at wide receiver. But when Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill went down with a season-ending injury on Monday, speculation about a reunion abruptly ended. However, a recent report says the Chiefs’ trading for Hill was not on the table. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that Hill “was never considered a real option” for Kansas City. That’s because the Chiefs believe Rashee Rice is their No. 1 receiver.
The Chiefs have been deliberate about their plan. They didn’t panic after a few uneven games, trusting that quarterback Patrick Mahomes could keep things steady until his top targets returned. Second-year receiver Xavier Worthy flashed against Baltimore, but Rice is the one they expect to change the passing game.
A team source told Russini that Rice is better than any trade they could make.
The numbers back that up. Over the second half of his rookie season, Rice overtook tight end Travis Kelce in target share, never dipped below 67 percent in snaps, and ranked 15th among all receivers in expected points per game. Even in a small sample alongside Worthy last year, Rice was still top-three in target share among all wideouts.
Rice is eligible to return in Week 7, and while his initial role may be managed, his ceiling is clear. Without him, the Chiefs have relied on a mix of Marquise Brown and Kelce, but both have limitations. Brown’s target rate has dropped since Week 1, and Kelce, now 36, is averaging career lows in receptions (3.8) and yards (45.5) per game.
That makes Rice’s return critical. He offers Mahomes a reliable route runner who can draw coverage and create space for Worthy. He also gives the offense a player who can win in high-leverage downs, something Kansas City has lacked through the first month.
It explains why the Chiefs never explored a big trade. They believe their answer is already in-house, and that Rice can stabilize the offense for the second half of the season.
The message is simple: Kansas City has been waiting on Rice all along.
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