The Kansas City Chiefs have some soul-searching to do as they head down the home stretch of the season. On one hand, they obviously want to try and win each game and fight their way into the playoffs. On the other hand, this version of the Chiefs just seems too flawed, and their playoff chances are dwindling. So it might be time for them to start thinking about which players can be part of the team's plans beyond this season. One position where they definitely have some decisions to make going forward is at wide receiver.
The Chiefs have only three wideouts currently under contract for next season. Those wide receivers are Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, and Jalen Royals. While there might be questions regarding if Rice can be a true superstar receiver or how much the Chiefs should be willing to pay to extend him, he will definitely be a big part of their offense next season. Worthy has flashed some here and there and will definitely be a key part of their rotation next season, but he looks like he could be more of a gadget/speed part of their rotation than a top option.
While Rice and Worthy’s futures in Kansas City still have questions around them, the Chiefs at least know enough about them to factor them into their plans beyond this season. The same cannot be said for rookie Jalen Royals. Royals was selected in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft and was initially viewed as a great value pick for the Chiefs, with many analysts believing he could have gone as high as the second round. Most saw him as a perfect fit for KC's offense.
Despite the Chiefs struggling to get consistent wide receiver play outside of Rice this season, Royals has been a non-factor. He doesn't have a single offensive touch this season. Royals has only been active for four of Kansas City's 12 games, and his only official NFL stats are a 30-yard kickoff return and one special teams tackle. So basically, the Chiefs still have no idea how well Jalen Royals will perform in actual NFL games.
It's time for the Chiefs ot see if Jalen Royals can be part of the long-term solution.
Obviously, the Chiefs coaches see the players every day in practice, and it could certainly be the case that Royals just isn't picking things up or producing in practice. However, Andy Reid's staff has a history of playing underperforming players who know their system over more talented options who don't know the scheme/playbook as well. While the Chiefs’ results over the last seven years speak for themselves, it's time for them to give some of the young guys a shot in the season's final five games.
The Chiefs are currently only giving three wideouts regular targets. Those three are Rice, Worthy, and Marquise "Hollywood" Brown. JuJu Smith-Schuster and Tyquan Thornton get regular reps on offense (although many believe Thornton should be getting even more), but targets are still lacking. Over Kansas City's last 4 games, Smith-Schuster and Thornton have combined for just 3 receptions on 7 targets.
Despite the lack of production, Smith-Schuster and Thornton still hold value on the active roster. The former is a good blocker who knows all the different receiver positions and can fill in if any of the other receivers miss time. Thornton is a proven deep threat who can take the top off a defense. Those same things cannot be said for the final wideout that is active on game days, Nikko Remigio.
Remigio is a return specialist who just hasn't been special at all this season. He is averaging 25.9 yards per kick return and just 7.3 yards per punt return. Both of those averages rank 24th in the NFL among players with at least 10 returns this season. In other words, he's a below-average punt and kick returner who has had two offensive touches all season. That's just not good enough to justify keeping a potential talent like Royals off the field.
That's where things could get interesting in Week 14. Remigio suffered a concussion in practice and has been designated as out after being healthy all season long. That opens the door for Royals to get a few reps. Expectations should be low, but even a couple of touches are more than what he's getting now. If part of the problem is that Royals doesn't know the full playbook, that's fine too. They can just throw him a couple of bubble screens or quick slants and see if his run-after-the-catch ability can break something open.
The Chiefs need to shake things up and see if they can find a spark or a few more big plays as they try to pull off an unlikely playoff run. They also need to evaluate which players are going to be a part of the roster going forward, and Royals is one of just a few wideouts who are under contract after this season. It only makes sense for them to make him active on game days and get the ball in his hands a few times per game as the season winds down.