Andy Reid and Matt Nagy weigh in on expectations for Chiefs WR Rashee Rice in Week 8 vs. the Commanders.
Kansas City Chiefs WR Rashee Rice didn’t waste time getting involved during his first game back from a six-game suspension against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 7.
In what was his first NFL regular-season game in over 380 days, the third-year wide receiver was targeted 16 times, recording 10 receptions for 42 yards and two touchdowns during the shutout win against Las Vegas. On plays where he wasn’t the focal point, he was used as a decoy to divert attention and create opportunities for other players.
The performance was about what you’d expect as Rice gets integrated back into the offense following his suspension and season-ending knee injury in 2024. But what can fans expect out of his next game on “Monday Night Football” in Week 8 against the Washington Commanders?
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Speaking to media members on Thursday, Chiefs HC Andy Reid said that Rashee Rice finished the Week 8 game with right about as many snaps as they had him penciled in for. His expectations moving forward are a continued ramp-up to what could eventually be a full dosage of snaps.
“Yeah, so we set out to get him (Rashee Rice) to 40% or around that area,” Reid said. “And it came out to 41%, the way it worked out. He didn’t play in the fourth quarter, and he probably wanted to. But I think if you increase it from there, he came out feeling good. That was a positive, and now he gets another week of practice under his belt, and I think he can keep his numbers going up.”
- Offense: 33 (41%)
- Routes Run: 17 (52%)
As for Chiefs OC Matt Nagy, he expects this week to look similar to last week as far as Rice’s usage.
“I feel like it’ll be very similar, if not more,” Nagy said. “We’ll give him as much as he can and wants to go. I think more of it than anything is just, it’s a lot to come back in and play right away and play 60 snaps. So, we’ll have a feel on how the game goes. But as much as we can get him in and keep him in, we will do that.”
It’s going to take time for Rice to get his legs under him and play a full helping of snaps. If they can continue to give him a little bit more with each passing week, there’s no reason that he can’t be ready for an outsized helping of snaps. At the same time, what Rice said after the Week 7 win vs. the Raiders also resonates. It echoed the mantra that he unintentionally brought to the Chiefs’ locker room: Everybody Gotta Eat.