Wide Receiver · Kansas City Chiefs
Rashee Rice — 2026 Fantasy Outlook
Analysis by Shawn Childs, from his 2026 guide — his words, unedited.
The case
- · Rice’s off-the-field baggage has been reflected in his early ADP, along with Patrick Mahomes coming off an injury.
- · His price will certainly rise once the fantasy lights go on in August.
- · When healthy, Rice is by far the Chiefs’ best receiving option.
- · His success over eight games in 2025 (53/591/6 on 78 targets) translates to 113 catches for 1,256 yards and 13 touchdowns over 17 games, or a 300.00+ PPR fantasy point wideout.
- · The Chiefs will feature him close to the line of scrimmage, highlighted by an elite catch rate (74.6%).
Question marks
- · He had minor surgery on his right knee in May.
- · Rice could have another suspension coming.
- · Over three seasons in the NFL, He’s missed 23 of his possible 51 starts.
Shawn's conclusion
Kansas City expects Patrick Mahomes to be ready for Week 1. If there is no more negative news on Rice and the NFL rules on his potential suspension before September, I could see him moving into the first round in some drafts, ahead of Justin Jefferson, which comes down to more of a bet on Patrick Mahomes than Kyler Murray. Travis Kelce has been spinning hits over the field, and his best NFL days are in the rearview mirror, so that leaves Xavier Worthy to knock Rice off the Chiefs’ top receiving block.
More on Rice
Rice wasted no time establishing himself as Kansas City's top receiving option as a rookie, leading the Chiefs' wide receivers in catches (79), receiving yards (938), touchdowns (7), and targets (102), good for 27th in PPR wide receiver scoring (213.80 points). His season had a slow build. Over his first 10 starts, Kansas City fed him just 4.6 targets per game (36/420/4), keeping his fantasy value modest. The second half of the season was a different story: 8.9 targets per game the rest of the way, producing 69 catches for 780 yards and four touchdowns at 17.15 FPPG. Rice was especially locked in from Week 12 through the postseason (8/107/1, 8/64, 7/72/1, 9/91/1, 6/57, 5/127, and 8/130/1), with a rest week in Week 18. His 77.8% catch rate for the season was among the best in the league.
Rice carried that success into 2024, posting three strong performances to open the year (7/103, 5/75/1, and 12/111/1) on 29 targets while converting 82.8% of his chances, reinforcing that his rookie catch rate was no fluke. With Travis Kelce's explosiveness continuing to fade, Rice was clearly positioned to become the engine of Kansas City's passing game.
Then came Week 4. Just four snaps in, Rice tore his ACL in his right knee, ending his season before it had barely started. Surgery followed in October, putting him on track to play in Week 1. Unfortunately, his off-the-field issue led to a six-game season to open 2025.
Over his eight starts last season, Rice caught 53 of his 78 targets (67.9%) for 591 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged 18.51 PPR fantasy points over this span. Rice was at his best in five matchups (7/42/2, 0/105/1, 4/86/1, 8/141, and 8/94/2). A concussion in December ended his year. He had minor right knee surgery in early May. The Chiefs expect him to be back on the field in July.
Get Shawn's full 2026 Draft Kit — free
Every breakdown like this one, plus his tiers, the top-200 cheat sheet, and how his 2025 season actually graded out. One email, instant download.