The Kansas City Chiefs have been ravaged by offensive injuries. It got started early with the team losing Hollywood Brown in the first preseason game. Then, a month into the season, their top receiver Rashee Rice tore his LCL, ending his season. Roughly two months later, do we have any new news on Rice’s status?
What Is Rashee Rice’s Injury?
The injuries have not stopped running rampant across this offense. They lost Brown in the preseason. They lost RB Isiah Pacheco in Week 2. Rice went down in Week 4. JuJu Smith-Schuster only lasted one week in a primary role before he was lost for multiple weeks in Week 7.
While none of the injuries are good, Rice’s was by far the worst. Not only was his injury the only sure-fire season-ender, but it came because his quarterback recklessly launched his body into Rice’s knee following an interception.
Rice wound up tearing his LCL, which is far less common than a torn ACL or MCL. If there’s any silver lining, it’s that Rice’s recovery time for a torn LCL is more favorable than a torn ACL. The latter would have put his status for Week 1 in jeopardy.
A torn LCL undoubtedly ended Rice’s season, but he should be fully recovered by March, give or take a month.
When Will Rice Return From Injury?
Barring some sort of unexpected setback, there’s little concern that Rice will not only be 100% for Week 1 of the 2025 season but will be all systems go well before training camp.
Typically, we see a dip in production in a player’s first year back from a torn ACL. They don’t return to their former selves until the year after they return.
There’s a very good chance Rice does not experience this and can produce at peak levels right away.
How Has Rice’s Absence Impacted the Chiefs?
Without Brown, WR Xavier Worthy was thrust into an immediate starting role. There have been some highs but mostly just disappointment. The rookie is very fast but is clearly very unpolished as a receiver. He’s been prone to mental errors, most notably an inability to get his feet in bounds on wide-open receptions near the sideline.
Once Rice was lost as well, some people thought Worthy was poised to see even more work. That never really tracked, though, as Worthy’s role was what it was — he and Rice are nothing alike.
Instead, it was Smith-Schuster who stepped into the Rice role. While nowhere near as talented, Smith-Schuster performed admirably in his first game without Rice, catching seven passes for 130 yards. Unfortunately, his run lasted all of one week, as a hamstring strain limited him to seven snaps in Week 7 and sidelined him for the following three weeks.
SEE MORE: NFL Injury Report
All of these injuries compelled the Chiefs to make a move at the deadline, acquiring veteran WR DeAndre Hopkins from the Tennessee Titans.
The injuries to the team’s WRs have forced Patrick Mahomes to rely more on Travis Kelce than the team had intended. The plan was to not overload Kelce during the regular season to keep him fresh for the playoffs. Once Mahomes was down to a starting WR trio of Worthy, Justin Watson, and Smith-Schuster, he had no choice but to turn to his trustworthy tight end.
Currently, Hopkins is mostly operating in the Rice role but is obviously far less effective. He’s sharing the responsibility somewhat with Smith-Schuster. With all of the hits to their offense, Mahomes has become more of an underneath passer, with the team relying on the rush and its defense to win games.