The Kansas City Chiefs got their final roster put together and are focused on the Week 1 contest against the Los Angeles Chargers in an AFC West showdown.
One of the biggest question marks around the Chiefs was how many games Rashee Rice would miss. And on Wednesday, they got their answer. The Athletic's Dianna Russini revealed that Rice is slated to miss the first six games of the season.
With this finally official, Noah Gray was asked about Rice's absence, but he sounded very confident in his teammates' ability to step up. Gray said the offense is prepared to deal with the suspension, and he's "extremely confident” in his teammates to produce.
Chiefs TE Noah Gray says the offense is prepared to deal with the six-game suspension for Rashee Rice and he’s “extremely confident” in his teammates in producing in his absence. pic.twitter.com/WYlnkPKdIB
— Matt Derrick (@mattderrick) August 27, 2025
Chiefs TE Noah Gray Confident in Teammates Amid Rashee Rice Suspension
When Rice is on the field, he is one of the top WRs in the passing attack, but with him slated to return on Oct. 19 against the Las Vegas Raiders, the Chiefs will need other players to step up. And thankfully, they have the playmakers to do.
Xavier Worthy is the most likely playmaker who will be leaned on by KC. Going into his second year, Worthy knows that to expect and a WR with his kind of speed will always be a weapon. As a rookie, he had 59 catches for 638 yards and a team-high six touchdowns.
Rookie Jalen Royals and Tyquan Thornton both made plays throughout the offseason and seem ready to play a role in this offense for the Chiefs. That's without mentioning Travis Kelce and Gray in the tight end room.
Kansas City made sure to add depth to the WR room this offseason, and it will already be put to the test in the first six weeks.
Losing Rice for that timeframe isn't the best, considering how talented he is, but six games must be seen as a win. The NFL was pushing for a 10-game suspension initially, so with Rice missing just six, it should be looked at as a win.
Having Andy Reid and Mahomes leading the way offensively is a major bonus, but the other pass catchers will be leaned on to step up with Rice on the sideline until mid-October.