KC Chiefs Rookie WR Rashee Rice Drawing Praise After Big Game in Week 6 Win

Kansas City's second-round wideout had yet another productive outing, getting kudos from Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes later on.

The Kansas City Chiefs didn't even cross the 20-point threshold on Thursday against the Denver Broncos, yet quarterback Patrick Mahomes still completed 30 passes for over 300 yards. Andy Reid's offense was moving the ball up and down the field more than a struggling unit should be able to, and there were a few players who stepped up and delivered with big plays to keep the group off the sideline.

For the sixth time in a row to begin his NFL career, wide receiver Rashee Rice was targeted multiple times and had multiple receptions in a game. This time around, it was a four-target, four-reception, career-best 72-yard performance that led the entire position group for either team in Week 6.

This is nothing new for Rice, who has been one of the Chiefs' most steady pass-catching threats this year despite still learning how to play the game at the highest level. The SMU product was selected in the second round of April's NFL Draft and while he did enjoy a four-year career with the Mustangs, being a professional is an entirely different thing. He's handled everything in stride, which is leading to a slightly increased workload on offense. According to head coach Andy Reid after Thursday's game, Rice's combination of natural traits and incremental improvement have been the driving factors in that. 

"Yeah, listen, he's been getting better every week," Reid said. "I think you guys see that. He's explosive [and] strong after the catch. That's why." 

With his performance against the Broncos, Rice now has the most targets (28), catches (21) and yards (245) of everyone in the Chiefs' wide receiver room. The 23-year-old has the most yards after the catch of the group, amassing 93 before Week 6 and then adding another 55 on Thursday. Without tight end Travis Kelce — a multi-time All-Pro and a future Hall of Fame player — factored into the equation, the rookie was Kansas City's most productive pass catcher versus a bitter division rival. 

One play that showcased Rice's continued growth came in the fourth quarter of Thursday's game. On a third-and-2, he found a soft spot in the Broncos' defensive coverage and hauled in a pass from Mahomes roughly eight yards from the line of scrimmage. After that, he immediately turned upfield and gained 20 yards after the initial catch process was completed. The play briefly looked like it had touchdown potential, which Mahomes jokingly noted after the game. 

"They did a good job," Mahomes said. "They had a good sense [that] they were going to make sure they took Trav (Kelce) away, and we had a receiver in the backfield in KT (Kadarius Toney). So they pushed a lot of people over to the right, and I saw 47, (Josey) Jewell, was kind of trying to get in there. I just knew if I could get it to Rashee, there was no one behind him. They were really focused on getting Trav away, which was probably smart thinking, but it opened up Rashee and I got the ball to him. I told him, I was like, 'You've got to get those knees up, man. There's two of them back — if you get those knees up, I think you get in the end zone.' So I think that's going to be the next progression for him."

Given the current state of the wide receiver room in Kansas City, Rice very well could (and likely should) continue to see more and more opportunities in terms of reps and targets. Leading wideout Justin Watson suffered an elbow injury on Thursday night, and neither Skyy Moore nor Marquez Valdes-Scantling has shown to be fully capable of replacing his production should he have to miss any games. 

Even if Watson is ready to roll by the time the Chiefs take the field next (Oct. 22), Reid and company could opt to give their rookie a more extended look on offense. Good things have happened when he's been on the field, with Week 6 being yet another example of that. Reid and Mahomes are becoming increasingly impressed with Rice, who is already beginning to carve out a nice role in one of the most challenging offenses in the league.

Read More: Four Takeaways from the Chiefs' 19-8 Win Over the Broncos