Nov 23, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid looks on in the first half against the Indianapolis Colts at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Rookie Wideout Ready to Fill Void for Chiefs

Originally posted on Kansas City Chiefs on SI
By Zak Gilbert | Last updated Dec 19, 2025 6:00 AM ET

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Like a certificate of deposit, Jalen Royals has sat mostly idle while slowly accruing interest during the first 14 games of his rookie season. The wide receiver’s maturity date could be Sunday.

Both Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton are in concussion protocol and neither wide receiver has practiced this week. As a result, neither player is on track to play at Tennessee on Sunday (12 p.m. CT, CBS/KCTV, Channel 5, 96.5 The Fan). Their position coach said Royals could be looking at an open door.

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“He's been working his tail off at practice,” said Connor Embree on Thursday. “Super-smart kid, stays locked in at meetings. … We'll see these next three games if he gets the opportunity to go out there and go make some plays.”

He had that opportunity during training camp, capitalizing on another injuries to Hollywood Brown and Skyy Moore to develop important chemistry with Patrick Mahomes. Then, an injury hit Royals.

Watch Matt Nagy discuss below...

The rookie developed knee tendinitis late in the preseason and missed the Chiefs’ first three regular-season games.

“He was having a great training camp, great preseason,” Embree said, “and he was kind of in a rhythm. Him and Pat were on the same page with stuff. And then I think it was just bad timing. … He worked his way through it got through and I really like where he's at.”

Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Where he’s at is ready to catch his first NFL pass. He got a kickoff return in his NFL debut, Week 4 against Baltimore, but hasn’t been targeted in his four games. He was active but didn’t play in last week’s loss to the Chargers.

“You want to see more time from him, if possible,” offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said Thursday. “We feel very fortunate with the guys that we've had for the middle of the season on when Rashee came back.

“And some of it's just a numbers thing for him, and it's almost like a redshirt year, in a way. He's practicing hard, but there's a lot of good stuff there with him. And I'm excited to see what he's going to do, whether it's these next three games or the future.”

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At Utah State...

Royals has a bright past, too. The year before a foot injury truncated his final season at Utah State, he was the nation’s only player in 2023 to reach 70 receptions and 15-plus touchdown catches.

A 6-0, 195-pound receiver, the Chiefs liked Royals’ size when they selected him in the fourth round (133rd overall) of the 2025 draft. Nagy said the combination of injuries and elimination from the postseason could be beneficial to younger players like Royals.

“Yes, it's going to give some kids an opportunity to maybe get some more time that they wouldn't have gotten,” Nagy said Thursday. “And it's our job to see that and to give them those chances.”

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