Rashee Rice heats up for season-best line of 7/88

After the game, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Rice “tweaked” his hamstring, seemingly downplaying the severity of his injury. It’s possible Silver is speculating on how long Rice could be out given what we know about soft-tissue injuries. Rice didn’t return to the game on Sunday against the Raiders, but he could be seen working out on the sideline at various times and was also on the exercise bike. With the Chiefs now entering their bye week, it’s possible we won’t have more clarity on Rice’s potential absence until they return to prepare for Week 6 against the Chargers. We will check back in with any updates as the team provides them.

The Chiefs aren’t formally ruling him out just yet, but Rice’s day is as good as done with this latest update. He continues to go through tests on the hamstring he injured in the first quarter of Sunday’s game and will likely be ruled out in the near future. If his day is done, Rice will finish with zero receptions on zero targets in just six offensive snaps.

This news comes from the team’s X account. Rice exited in the first quarter of Sunday’s game and eventually made his way to the locker room after initially refusing to leave the field. CBS Sports’ Tracy Wolfson reported that Rice was noticeably frustrated on the sideline, which isn’t an encouraging sign as far as his return for this game is concerned.

It’s hard to tell what may have happened here, but Rice appeared to land awkwardly on his left foot after making a catch on a play that would be overturned by a penalty. Rice appeared to be grabbing at the back of his leg and immediately made his way to the sideline. We will provide an update when we receive one.

An interesting development from this one were the 10 targets filtered to running back Kenneth Walker, who gained emphasis through the air in the short areas of the field typically accounted for by Rice and tight end Travis Kelce. The Colts also utilized elevated rates of man coverage until the departure of cornerback Charvarius Ward, against which Rice has clear negative splits. He did break free for a 31-yard gain, one of two Mahomes completions to go for more than 30 yards. Rice remains a volume-driven WR2 with clear WR3 downside, in an offense now more intent on featuring the backfield. He remains a touchdown-dependent WR2 against the Dolphins in Week 3.

Rice earned only two targets in Week 1, yet still technically warrants WR2 treatment based on his theoretical role in the offense, along with his past WR1 performances. The Chiefs notably faced the Broncos’ top-tier defense last week and will get a far softer matchup against the Colts in Week 2.

Rashee Rice (knee) is also practicing in full. Both players underwent offseason knee procedures and had slow ramp-ups during the summer. Both players were active for Week 1 and found the end zone. Mahomes did so on the ground, putting the notion that he would be hampered by the knee issue to rest. The passing attack still looked shaky in Week 1, but there are no health concerns for either player. Mahomes will be a low-end QB1 versus the Colts, and Rice will hold a spot in the WR2 ranks.

Rice saw only two targets as the Chiefs clearly had a ground-heavy game plan to ease quarterback Patrick Mahomes back into action in his first game since tearing his ACL in 2025. Furthermore, Rice was largely unable to generate separation against a stingy Denver secondary, oftentimes locked down in man coverage. Even his touchdown was uninspiring aside from a great effort to bounce off the first tackler. Rice appears to be a shaky fantasy bet for managers that invested an early-round pick into his services, particularly in the coming weeks against poor competition. Rice will be a speculative WR3 against the Colts in Week 2.

Rice is evidently good to go for Week 1 after a tumultuous offseason, which included a knee operation and a jail stint. The Chiefs’ No. 1 wide receiver looked sluggish in training camp while rookie WR Cyrus Allen shined, but Rice’s status as the entrenched top target earner counts for something. Rice should be viewed as a WR2 entering the season.

Andy Reid also echoed this sentiment earlier in the offseason. As Rapoport points out, Rice was already suspended for his involvement in a hit-and-run car crash in 2024. He violated his probation this year and spent 30 days in jail, but it doesn’t sound like the league plans to punish him any further. Rice is also recovering from offseason knee surgery and has received mixed reviews over the first two weeks of training camp. For fantasy purposes, as long as Rice can soak up check-downs, the PPR points will flow.