Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver depth chart minus Kadarius Toney after final roster cuts

The Kansas City Chiefs were in uncharted territory throughout the 2023 NFL season. A team that had built a dynasty with head coach Andy Reid’s explosive and dynamic West Coast offense suddenly couldn’t find a way to score.

In the regular season, the Chiefs scored just 21.8 points per game — the fewest since Reid joined the team in 2013. 

Players like Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore and Kadarius Toney failed to make a significant impact. The wide receiver ailments, coupled with turnstile offensive tackles and unforced mental errors, nearly resulted in disaster.

The Chiefs were forced to lean on their running game and vaunted defense to win games in the postseason. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the team’s highest-paid player and the catalyst of Kansas City’s dynasty, was relegated to mere managerial duties as the Chiefs offense scored more field goals (11) than touchdowns (9) in their four postseason games.

It’s not a recipe that Kansas City wants to follow again in 2024, and general manager Brett Veach prioritized bolstering the team’s wide receiver corps this offseason. Along with drafting Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy with the No. 28 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Chiefs signed veteran wide receivers Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster in free agency.

Chiefs projected wide receiver depth chart

As the Chiefs finalized their 53-man roster before the deadline at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, the new additions have allowed the team to part ways with some of last year’s underperforming wide receivers.

Among the wide receivers that didn’t survive roster cutdown day were wide receivers Justyn Ross, rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit, and the highly controversial Kadarius Toney.

Here's a look at the Chiefs' wide receiver depth chart following Toney’s release:

Starters:

• Perimeter: Marquise Brown
• Perimeter: Xavier Worthy
• Slot: Rashee Rice

Rashee Rice is facing an inevitable suspension for his involvement in a multi-vehicle car crash in Dallas earlier this offseason and other legal charges, but that punishment likely won’t happen until next year.

Rice struggled against man coverage on the perimeter, but he excelled from the slot in his rookie campaign. With speedsters Brown and Worthy on the perimeter, Rice and tight end Travis Kelce should find plenty of space to operate on intermediate routes over the middle.

Brown is expected to miss the start of the regular season after suffering a shoulder injury in his preseason debut, which opens up the door for Kansas City’s backup wide receivers to shine in the first few games of the season.

Backups:

• JuJu Smith-Schuster
• Justin Watson
• Mecole Hardman

The Chiefs signed Smith-Schuster to a one-year deal earlier this week. The veteran spent the 2022 campaign with the Chiefs, so his familiarity with the team should help him step into his role seamlessly. Smith-Schuster and Watson will both likely see increased snaps for the first few weeks of the season as Brown works his way back from injury.

Skyy Moore could push Hardman for the final roster spot, but Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub named Hardman as a potential kick returner this season.

Full depth chart:

1. Rashee Rice
2. Marquise Brown
3. Xavier Worthy
4. JuJu Smith-Schuster
5. Justin Watson
6. Mecole Hardman