Second-Year Jump: Can Rashee Rice Take a Leap in 2024 with Potential Suspension Looming?

Rashee Rice made an impact in his rookie season, but how can he improve in Year 2? It may depend on how many games he's allowed to play.

Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (4) against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs' 2023 second-round selection, wide receiver Rashee Rice, has been a hot topic of conversation this offseason. Most of the attention came due to off-the-field incidents, one with pending felony charges, and it has not been what the Chiefs wanted after Rice had a very solid rookie season. Actions have consequences, but with so much still up in the air, it’s still uncertain how the offseason incidents will affect Rice's potential second-year jump. 

There are rumors Rice could face a multiple-game suspension, with some outlets even speculating that a double-digit game suspension could come down. It appears likely the suspension will occur ahead of this season, and the Chiefs have been preparing for those scenarios accordingly. However, while the NFL does its due diligence, a slow-moving American justice system could push a suspension all the way to the 2025 season if the NFL decides to wait on legal rulings first. Neither scenario is ideal for the second-year wide receiver or the team, but both will have to deal with the suspension scenario as it comes.

As for the on-field production, Rice was a pleasant surprise for the Chiefs during his rookie season. The Chiefs were hoping Rice would be able to help fill the void left behind by JuJu Smith-Schuster, the Chiefs' leading receiver during his lone year in KC in 2022. Rice flashed potential during the preseason but also showed there would be some bumps along the way with some questionable dropped passes. 

Rice started the season in Week 1 with three catches for 29 yards, with one of those catches leading to his first career touchdown. He had a decent but not great season through the bye week in Week 10, averaging four catches on five targets per game. The Chiefs faced the Eagles in Week 11, and Rice had another game like he’d had many times before the bye, four catches on five targets for 42 yards. It wasn’t bad, it wasn’t great, but it was serviceable. The next week is when Rice took off and never looked back. 

As quarterback Patrick Mahomes became more comfortable and confident in Rice and as head coach Andy Reid started drawing up more plays for the rookie, he averaged seven catches on nine targets per game. This included three games with over 100 yards receiving with his biggest game coming in the Wild Card round of the playoffs with eight catches on 12 targets for 130 yards and a touchdown in a 26-7 home win in the frozen tundra against the Miami Dolphins. Including the playoffs, Rice finished his rookie season with 105 catches for 1,200 yards and eight touchdowns. By the end of the season, it was easy to see that Rice was coming into his own and became one of the most reliable targets in the Chiefs' offense. By every metric, Rice’s rookie season should be seen as a success. 

How can Rice improve in year two? Again, this will be a tricky situation to follow due to the offseason and off-the-field issues. If Rice can play a full season, which isn’t a guarantee, he should continue to take steps forward as he did at the end of last season. With the addition of wide receivers Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and rookie Xavier Worthy, both of whom should be considered new deep-threat weapons for Mahomes, Rice should be able to continue to work the middle of the field with tight end Travis Kelce and eat on those intermediate routes. The Chiefs' offense could hit at a high level of consistency with this set of pass-catchers and Rice should be one of the key pieces that makes the team fire on all cylinders.

Rice may only be able to play for half a season, so his expectations may change, but if Rice gets a full year, it isn’t unreasonable to expect 1,000 yards and 8-10 touchdowns. Depending on if and when Rice is suspended, expectations can be adjusted at that point. Rice is already a physically imposing player in the league, and he’s not afraid to take a hit. After following along with his offseason workouts on social media, it looks like he has only gotten in better physical shape since last season. With a strong rookie campaign under his belt and a chance to continue growing in the offense, Rice should be able to make a nice second-year jump. At the end of the day, it will just depend on how many games he's able to see the field.

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Read More: Rashee Rice Suspension Projection from NFL Insider; Does College Allegation Impact Length?