Chiefs Need Breakout Performance From Key Wide Receiver

Jalen Royals, the Chiefs' fourth-round draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, has yet to make his debut in the National Football League yet, missing the first two games with a knee injury. From what the Chiefs have seen from Royals ahead of Week 3, he could easily become a huge threat for Kansas City against New York.

The beauty of having a rookie wide receiver involved in the offensive game plan is that defenses may not know what to expect from them. Sure, it's a part of the defensive coordinator's job to have his defense prepared for any player on the field, but if the Chiefs use Royals in a different way than he was used in college, it could be the turning point in the young season.

Rice-Royals Comparisons

Head coach Andy Reid and company had nothing but positive things to say about Royals this offseason, some of whom have compared him to Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice. There would be no better time than those comparisons to become reality than in Week 3, should Royals be cleared to play.

• "He looks like he’s a sharp kid. He works hard, he’s strong – a little bit like Rashee (Rice) in that way," Reid told the media following a past OTA practice. "Probably like Rashee (in more) than one (way). He’s got a little bit more beef to him, (a) thick lower body, but again, (he’s) strong, and he picks stuff up – he doesn’t say a whole lot. (He’s) very, very quiet, but he picks things up and does a nice job with it.”