Patrick Mahomes adds injury to insult hurting best weapon after awful INT
By Mark Powell
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice has been the team's best weapon this season, especially given the lack of production from star tight end Travis Kelce. Kelce doesn't seem that lack of production a concern, and it may be some of the reason Rice has found himself so open through three games this season.
However, Rice's campaign took a gnarly turn on Sunday against the Chargers, as he suffered what looked to be a scary injury in Los Angeles.
Mahomes threw an early interception on a passing attempt to Travis Kelce. On the runback by the Chargers, Rice made the tackle on an LA defender. However, Rice was also hurt on the play.
Rashee Rice injury update: How long will Chiefs wide receiver be out?
It's unclear how long Rice will be out at this juncture, but if he's forced to miss the game, even more pressure will be placed on rookie Xavier Worthy out of Texas. While Worthy was brought in as a complimentary piece when he was drafted, he has the talent to be a true No. 1 one day, and is easily the fastest player on the Chiefs roster and the quickest since Tyreek Hill.
Beyond Worthy, Kelce must find a way out of his early-season slump, even if he sees it as an advantage. Mahomes and Andy Reid came to Kelce's defense earlier this week, but eventually the future Hall-of-Fame has to live up to his expectations in 2024.
Kansas City Chiefs depth chart: Who will fill in for Rashee Rice?
With Rice out of action for the time being, the Chiefs must rely on players who aren't used to such a spotlight. Worthy, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Skyy Moore and Mecole Hardman are just a few wide receivers still on the Chiefs 53-man roster who can make a difference.
Chiefs wide receiver depth chart |
---|
Rashee Rice |
Xavier Worthy |
Justin Watson |
JuJu Smith-Schuster |
Mecole Hardman |
Skyy Moore |
In no particular order, the Chiefs wide receiver depth chart is illustrated above.
UPDATE (8:06 p.m. ET): According to multiple reports, the Chiefs are fearing that Rice suffered a torn ACL. Rice will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the injury and severity.