4 Chiefs Who Need to Step Up Over Final Quarter of the Season

3. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR

The Chiefs' wide receiver room has been plagued by injuries throughout the 2024 campaign. All though there are rumblings that wideouts Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown could return before the playoffs, nothing is guaranteed and that means Kansas City's healthy receivers need to step up in the duo's continued absence.

In other words, it'd be great if JuJu Smith-Schuster could rekindle his chemistry with Mahomes.

After a quiet start to the campaign, the 28-year-old WR turned heads with a Week 5 performance that saw him torch the New Orleans Saints to the tune of 130 receiving yards on seven catches. Any excitement quickly disappeared, though, as Smith-Schuster only played seven snaps over the next four games due to a hamstring injury.

Since returning from his ailment, Smith-Schuster hasn't come close to matching his 130-yard performance. The former USC playmaker has been as quiet as it gets lately, registering just five catches for 55 yards without a TD in his last four outings despite averaging a respectable 33.8 offensive snaps per game along the way.

No one is saying that Smith-Schuster needs to have a 100-yard showing every week, but it'd be nice if he could catch at least more than one pass — something he's done just three times in 10 games this season. No matter how you slice it, there's nothing positive to find about that statistic.

If Smith-Schuster can start taking advantage of any opportunities coming his way, the Chiefs' Super Bowl odds will improve because of it.