Rashee Rice's impending return adds more juice to Chiefs' surging offense

Bad news for the rest of the NFL: The Kansas City Chiefs' offense is finding its groove, and the unit is about to become even stronger.

Following the Chiefs' 30-17 win over the Detroit Lions on "Sunday Night Football," Kansas City wide receiver Rashee Rice's suspension ended. He had been serving a six-game suspension for his role in a multicar crash in Dallas in 2024. 

Rice will be eligible to return to practice later this week. If he does, the 2023 second-round pick could play in Sunday's home game against the Las Vegas Raiders for the first time since suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 4 last season. 

How Rashee Rice's impending return improves Chiefs offense

Rice, a former SMU star, played a key role for the Chiefs in the 2023 season when they won their fourth Super Bowl. In 16 regular-season games, the 25-year-old logged 79 receptions for 938 yards and seven touchdown catches, finishing sixth in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. 

Rice was on track to have an even more productive season in 2024 before suffering his injury. In four games, he averaged a career-high 72 receiving yards per game. Had the wideout played 17 regular-season games and maintained that average, he would've finished with 1,224 receiving yards, which would've been the seventh most in the NFL. 

Although Rice hasn't played since September 2024, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes indicated he didn't look rusty during the offseason. 

"I mean, he looks like Rashee," the QB told the media in May. "He looks explosive. He looks fast. And you saw the start of last season; I think he can be one of the best receivers in the league." 

Rice's return should help fellow WR Xavier Worthy — who ran a record-breaking 4.21 40-yard dash at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine — showcase his speed. Pro Football Focus credited Rice with a league-leading 853 yards after the catch (including playoffs) during the 2023 season. 

Rice's ability to turn small plays into big ones may force defenses to play more man coverage against the Chiefs. This could create more opportunities for Worthy in the deep passing game. 

The Chiefs had 243 yards passing in the win over the Lions. With Rice returning to the lineup soon, figure on Kansas City topping that figure multiple times this season.