Chiefs Finally Give Beloved WR His Chance With Surprise Roster Move Before Bucs Game

The Chiefs made a surprise roster move just before a Monday Night Football Week 9 showdown with the Buccaneers, elevating fan-favorite WR Justyn Ross from the practice squad to the active roster.

JuJu Smith-Schuster is still out, paving the way for Ross' first game of the 2024-25 season. He dressed for 10 contests in 2023, catching six passes on 11 targets for 53 yards.

Kansas City is facing a depleted Tampa Bay squad. With inclement weather expected, this could be the perfect opportunity for Ross to prove he belongs on the roster for the rest of the season. If he performs well, it'd almost be like adding another receiver at the deadline on top of DeAndre Hopkins.

Chiefs WR Justyn Ross Elevated to Active Roster vs. Buccaneers

The Chiefs are searching for answers at receiver despite jumping out to an undefeated start. For this team to reach the heights it intends to, they have to find some playmakers. Losing Rashee Rice, Hollywood Brown and Isiah Pacheco complicated matters, so Ross hopes to make the most of his chance.

It's unclear how much he'll play but a handful of snaps at least can be expected. There's too much upside to reap if Ross sticks and Patrick Mahomes would be wise to look his way.

Getting Hopkins more acclimated with the offense is a bigger priority of course. Travis Kelce and Kareem Hunt will remain the driving force, yet Hopkins will get targets, as will Xavier Worthy.

This is a contest that Kansas City should dominate. The Chiefs are 9.5-point favorites at FanDuel Sportsbook with -400 odds on the moneyline, which is a bigger favorite than any team is for next week's games.

Here's hoping a potential blowout gives Ross his time to shine.

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