May 13, 2025

Rashee Rice got off to a fast start in 2024. A popular breakout pick, he posted a 24-288-2 line on 29 targets over the season's first three games. It looked like Rice was on track for a big year. That came to a crashing halt when Rice tore his LCL in Week 4 and missed the rest of the season. It was a bitter end to what looked like a surefire breakout season. Despite the injury, gamers should be encouraged by what they saw in 2024. Albeit in a small sample, Rice had some very strong advanced metrics. Before his injury, Rice posted a 35% targets per route run as well as a remarkable 3.47 yards per route run per Fantasy Points Data Suite. He was clearly a focal point of the offense and looked like the Chiefs' top pass-catcher. However, Rice recently reached a plea deal for an off-the-field incident that occurred in March of 2024. As part of the deal, Rice pleaded guilty to two third-degree felony charges. He was sentenced to five years of probation and 30 days in jail. This clears the way for the NFL to suspend Rice for part of the 2025 season. It's uncertain how long Rice will be suspended, but any suspension will hurt his fantasy value. When it comes to drafting Rice, until we know exactly how many games he will sit out, gamers would be wise to proceed with caution.--Dave Ventresca