The Chiefs snapped a two-game losing skid on Sunday, but the team’s pass-catching corps will be shorthanded through the remainder of the regular season.
Wideout Skyy Moore has been placed on injured reserve, per a team announcement.
As a result of the move, Moore is now guaranteed to miss at least the next four weeks. Kansas City will need to reach the divisional round of the playoffs to have the second-year pass-catcher available at the earliest point he will be eligible to return.
Moore’s absence will leave the defending champions shorthanded at the receiver position, one which has been a sore spot during the year.
Kanas City has struggled to establish a consistent No. 2 option in the passing game to complement tight end Travis Kelce. Moore is one of many recent draft investments made at the position aimed at rectifying that, having been selected in the second round last April.
He occupied a rotational role as a rookie, but his workload has increased significantly in Year 2 with a 53% snap share.
Moore has not managed to carve out a substantial role in the team’s offense, however, having drawn more than five targets only once this season. The Western Michigan product recorded 70 yards and a touchdown in Week 2, but he has not posted more than 42 yards in a game or found the end zone since then.
Overall, he has made 21 catches for 244 yards, making him one of several players to have posted middling numbers for Kansas City.
The team still sits fifth in the league in passing yards per game, though, due in large part to Kelce’s continued high-end play.
Second-round rookie Rashee Rice has also come on strong as of late, totaling 334 yards and three touchdowns on 32 receptions over the past four game. With Moore out of the picture for the time being, the Kelce-Rice pairing will be leaned on more heavily as Kansas City continues to push for the top seed in the AFC.
Sunday’s win improved the Chiefs’ record to 9-5, putting them one game behind the Dolphins and two behind the Ravens for the conference’s only bye during the wild-card round.
As things stand, Kansas City would need to at least begin the postseason without Moore in the lineup, however. The team currently has six IR activations remaining.
More must-reads: