Rashee Rice injury: How can Chiefs replace star WR? Options on the active roster, free agents, trade targets

The Kansas City Chiefs pulled off a comeback win Sunday afternoon against the division rival Los Angeles Chargers, improving their record to 4-0 in the process. Early in the game, however, the Chiefs suffered a big loss: star wide receiver Rashee Rice left the game with a knee injury when Patrick Mahomes‘ helmet banged into the receiver’s leg while Mahomes was trying to make a tackle. 

Rice was carted to the locker room and quickly ruled out. Head coach Andy Reid wouldn’t give much detail on the injury, but he did say that it is “not good.” Rice is feared to have torn his ACL, per ESPN, which would leave Kansas City with an absolutely massive hole to fill in its offense for the remainder of the season.

Through the first three games of the season, Rice led the Chiefs in catches (24), targets (29), receiving yards (288) and receiving touchdowns (2). He was drawing a target on 33.7% of Chiefs pass attempts — the second-largest share in the NFL, via Tru Media. His targets per route run rate of 34.1%, meanwhile, ranked first among the 78 players who had run at least 75 routes through Week 3.

There are a number of options available for the Chiefs to replace him, but not that many of them are appealing. We’ll run through the choices based on a few different categories: players on the Chiefs’ current roster, available free agents and trade targets. 

We’ll be focusing mostly on players who can work as short-area quick-game targets or slot receivers, because that has been Rice’s primary role since his elevation into the starting lineup. 

Current Roster

As we wrote earlier this season, the roll Rice was filling this year was in large part one that used to go to Kelce. Asking him to pick it up again for the entire regular season would be a challenge, especially given that the Chiefs openly want to conserve his body for the playoffs. Putting that much in his plate wouldn’t be wise. 

Worthy is the next most-logical contender simply because the Chiefs felt strongly enough about his talent to move up in the first round to get him, and also gave him a more significant early-season role than they gave Rice last year. He has a much different body type than Rice and is more of a burner, but perhaps they could shift more targets in his direction.

Smith-Schuster seems like the most likely candidate to pick up more snaps. He played a form of the Rice role when the Chiefs won the Super Bowl in 2022. He doesn’t have as much left in the tank now as he did then thanks to various injuries, but Mahomes trusts him. Moore, meanwhile, is still hanging around on the roster and was a second-round pick. If there was ever going to be an opportunity for him to step up, this would be it. 

Justin Watson is the most likely receiver to pick up additional snaps, and tight end Noah Gray could see increased usage as well. But they’re not really fits for the role Rice has played.

Free Agents

Unsurprisingly, the pickings are slim on the free-agent market. We’re a few weeks into the season; anybody who teams felt good about would be on a roster by now. Thomas was at one time arguably the best receiver in football, but injuries slowed him down over the past several years. The Chiefs could try to recapture the magic, but there’s probably not much left. Renfrow, meanwhile, is a different kind of slot receiver than Rice, and therefore seems unlikely to be a solution to this particular issue.

Trade Targets

The true trade targets will become clearer as we get closer to the deadline. 

Bourne is still working his way back from a torn ACL, but the Patriots have some younger wideouts they might want to prioritize, and perhaps they would be willing to part with him when he’s ready to roll. Cooper has already been bandied about as a potential trade candidate come the deadline, and he would be a terrific fit if the Chiefs could actually swing it. Woods is getting up there in age, but he has played a similar role to the one Rice holds in the past, when he was with the Los Angeles Rams. 

The Raiders have reportedly resisted any and all overtures for Adams, but the Chiefs should at least put in a call. He remains one of the best receivers in football, and we know he can handle this type of role. Pitts is an outside-the-box option, but he’s clearly been de-prioritized in Atlanta, he can play in the slot, and he can potentially be Kelce’s successor at tight end. He might cost too much to be worth it, though, especially given his diminished production since his rookie season.