Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice went down with a hamstring injury early in the Week 4 game and did not return. The Chiefs had a bye in Week 5, but Rice won’t be able to recover in time to face the Los Angeles Chargers Sunday. Rice was ruled out for Week 6, but coach Andy Reid said Rice could be back for Week 7 against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Chiefs have just four healthy receivers after Tyquan Thornton went on Injured Reserve. They could activate newly acquired Justin Watson, who signed to the practice squad this week. There’s still a large void at the position after quarterback Patrick Mahomes lost two of his top-three receivers.
Bold Prediction No. 1: Running Back Emmett Johnson Sees Largest Workload
The Chiefs have been singing the fifth-round pick’s praise since training camp. He has done everything the team has asked and done it well. However, with running back Kenneth Walker III running all over opposing defenses, Johnson has just 16 rushes for 56 yards and five receptions for 74 yards. The Chiefs have hinted that a larger role was coming for the rookie, but it hasn’t happened yet.
The Chargers have been a midrange team in defending the running back position. Look for Johnson to be more of a target on checkdown and underneath routes. He’ll receive seven to 10 carries and five-plus targets as a receiver.
Bold Prediction No. 2: Travis Kelce Goes Over 100 Yards
Kelce has 16 catches for 246 yards and two touchdowns on the season. His 15.4 yards per catch would easily be a career high. He looks to be in better shape this season and has broken multiple big gains. Mahomes will look to him as his top option with Rice out as wide receiver Xavier Worthy has yet to show his big-play ability this season.
Kelce generally plays well against the Chargers. He caught nine balls for 117 yards and a touchdown in two games against them last season. In 2024, he caught 12 receptions for 134 yards against them. Look for Kelce to snag six to eight receptions for over 100 yards.
