Rashee Rice is back for Chiefs but this offense already found its rhythm

It's Rice time. After six long weeks, the suspension of Kansas City Chiefs' wide receiver Rashee Rice is finally over. As the team heads into a Week 7 matchup against the rival Raiders, they are excited to get back one of their star playmakers.

Just how much have the Chiefs missed Rice? Well, let's do a recap, set to the tune of Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone."

The first two weeks of the 2025 season were one of the most putrid offensive stretches of the Patrick Mahomes era. Consequently, they lost both games. The major problem? After Xavier Worthy got hurt in Week 1, it felt like the Chiefs were scraping the bottom of the barrel for wide receiver help.

Those two weeks might have really highlighted just how much the Chiefs were missing Rice, and the following four weeks felt like an eternity. It had me dreaming of a Tyreek Hill trade (so much for that). But then a curious thing happened: Worthy came back. Immediately, the offense looked so much better.

Rashee Rice's return is not without some important hurdles (and questions) to consider.

The Chiefs lit up the New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens in Weeks 3 and 4, and everyone was having a good time. Even in their loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the offense looked pretty good (minus that pick-6).

I'm going to be honest in saying the offense has looked so good and so healthy that I have questioned just how much the Chiefs actually missed Rashee Rice. In other words, how much better can this offense be with Rice?

Obviously, without Worthy, he would have been really important to have. But now that Worthy is back, is there room in this offense for both wide receivers to excel? Before I get beat up in the comments on that take, hear me out.

Is Rice still the WR1 the Chiefs dreamed of him becoming? Keep in mind, we've really only seen him play one complete season. Make no doubt about it, he demonstrated a lot of promise by the end of his rookie season, and even started last year strong. However, that was followed by a season-ending injury and a six-game suspension. He hasn't seen the field in over a year—more than half of his entire career to this point. I hope he comes out of the gate right where he left off last year, but I am hesitant.

Perhaps the trio of Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, and Hollywood Brown really will elevate this offense to new heights, but I'm from Missouri, so they are going to have to show me first. Thankfully, we won't have to wait long to find out.