A few days after watching an exhibition in offensive frustration, the Kansas City Chiefs are awash in heartening updates that should bolster the unit's confidence heading into Week 3. The latest report has rookie receiver Jalen Royals returning to practice on Wednesday, providing another positive update before K.C. heads to MetLife Stadium to face the New York Giants.
Royals, the team's fourth-round pick out of Utah State, has been on the mend with knee tendinitis for the entirety of his rookie campaign so far. In fact, Royals has been sitting out of every practice going back to the latter stages the preseason, which makes his return such an important development.
The Chiefs passing attack has looked anemic without its top playmakers. The Philadelphia Eagles took advantage of the Chiefs' vanilla offense in Week 2 and came away with a close win at Arrowhead that left the Chiefs in an 0-2 hole and a two-game deficit in the AFC West.
The Chiefs are getting more good news on the injury front as it pertains to their passing attack.
It's unclear as of yet if Royals is trending toward playing this week, but the Chiefs refused to place the rookie on injured reserve to start the year, which showed a level of confidence that he would be back before Week 4.
Given that Rashee Rice is still out until Week 7 due to a six-game suspension levied by the NFL before the season began, Royals' potential return would boost the offense with a similarly profiled player. Just as Rice moves the chains with ease as a well-rounded pass catcher who can break tackles after the catch, Royals has a kindred makeup.
The Chiefs are also getting Xavier Worthy back into the fold in Week 3, despite having a torn labrum. Worthy will play with a supportive brace and hope to avoid further injury as he joins the offense since suffering the shoulder injury during a freak collision with tight end Travis Kelce three plays into the 2025 season.
Royals averaged 15.2 yards/catch for Utah State over the last two seasons with 21 touchdowns in that span.