With the recent news that Marquise Brown would miss 4-6 weeks with a sternoclavicular injury, the Chiefs will likely get Xavier Worthy more involved as the big-play threat. After setting a record-breaking 4.21 40-yard dash at this season’s NFL combine, Worthy is expected to be able to help stretch the field for the Chiefs.
Rashee Rice is an entirely different type of receiver, however, and the receiver has a better fantasy floor. Rice’s 4.7 average depth of target (aDOT) was shallowest in the league among wideouts that ran 200 or more routes in 2023; however, he excels in gaining yards after the catch. Rice’s 8.27 average yards after catch was second only to Deebo Samuel among receivers with 60 or more receptions last season.
Rice’s 102 targets were second only to Travis Kelce for the Chiefs, and he averaged five catches and 58 receiving yards per game in 2023. However, if you zoom in, you can see that number increased substantially in weeks 11-17 after the bye. In those seven games, Rice led the Chiefs in targets, averaging nearly nine targets and eighty receiving yards per game. Rice finished his rookie season with 79 catches and 938 receiving yards.
In the postseason, Rice and Mahomes continued to connect. On the way to the Super Bowl, Rice averaged 6.5 catches and 65.5 yards per game.
Patrick Mahomes had a down year by his standards, and most are expecting some positive regression from the Super Bowl MVP. Rice and Mahomes should continue to build on their chemistry in 2024, especially as Travis Kelce moves into the twilight of his career.
Now, to address the elephant in the room: Rashee Rice’s legal situation.
Rice’s ADP is depressed not because of adding Hollywood Brown or a sophomore slump. There are questions about whether Rice will face a suspension this season.
Rice is looking at eight felony counts for his involvement in a high-speed multi-car accident in Dallas. However, right now, only a civil case has been filed, and it appears that criminal charges have not yet. If the case is settled, the league will likely hand down a suspension, which could be even early in the season.
The fact that Rice has not yet been formally indicted could mean any number of things, and this could still go anyway, but the longer this goes on, the more likely it seems Rice may play an entire season. Missing games is baked in at his current ADP as the WR36, coming off the board in Round 7 (according to FantasyPros).
If you’re willing to take the gamble that this case may get drawn out, you could have an entire season of Mahomes' WR1 in Round 7.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Rashee Rice Fantasy Football Outlook Following Latest Hollywood Brown Injury News.
