It is hard to imagine the return of Kansas City Chiefs star receiver Rashee Rice going more perfectly. Not only did the Chiefs have a dominating 31-0 win over a division rival, but Rice had an instant impact, finishing with 7 catches and 2 touchdowns. No receiver save for maybe Travis Kelce, has more of Patrick Mahomes' trust and belief when the offense needs a play most. This made the offense look like a completely different unit, even after the recent hot streak.
The receiver position has gone from a perceived weakness to perhaps one of the strongest in the league. With Rice at the top of the depth chart, a trio of Xavier Worthy, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Hollywood Brown looks far more intimidating. Add in Tyquan Thornton stretching the field, and this is a complete aerial attack that it is hard to imagine any AFC contender slowing down. Kansas City is on top yet again, and the league should be taking note. Having Rice back in the lineup pushes the Chiefs from one of many to the clear contender in the conference.
Rashee Rice Clearly Pushes the Chiefs Among the League's Most Feared Heading Into Week 8
Rice is the playmaker who has been the missing ingredient to take the KC offense to the next level again. He takes pressure off the defense and Mahomes to carry the load. This isn't a knock on the rest of the Chiefs' weapons, but the reality of having a primary star target back in the lineup. With this in mind, KC fans have every reason to be excited and set expectations high.
This appears to be the team that won the Super Bowl two seasons ago, but with a far more mature Rice and a more complete passing attack. A fact that should scare the rest of the league for a team that is already used to being the hunted. Now, not only do you have the league's best quarterback in Mahomes, but the Chiefs also have one of the league's most talented receivers.
Mahomes has obviously been playing at a high level all season already, but he showed out with an especially strong passer rating of 126.6 in Week 7 (compared to 99.0 from Weeks 1 through 6) averaging 9.89 adjusted yards per pass attempt (up from 7.72).
A big part of this can be attributed to getting one of Mahomes' least efficient wide receivers off the field. Marquise Brown's 6.6 yards per target on the season rank just 8th on the team (trailing, amonth others, running backs Kareem Hunt and Brashard Smith), and his snap count fell to a season-low 27 on Sunda
Rice should be dialed in with focus and motivation after missing the end of 2024 due to injury and the start of the 2025 season due to a suspension. You can feel the shift in energy throughout Sunday's game, not only for Rice, but the rest of the roster, who seemed to start clicking at a higher level with their best playmaker back in the lineup.
From the top down, you could see the attitude of the Chiefs shift in Sunday's win. It was the first complete win of the season where both sides of the ball were dominant, and fans were given a glimpse of what's ahead. No question, Rice was the missing piece, and the rest of the league should be taking note.