Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said Monday that there's no return plan for Moore (abdomen) in the postseason, Matt Derrick of ChiefsDigest.com reports. Moore has been on IR since late October due to a core-muscle injury. While Reid said Monday that fellow wideout Mecole Hardman (knee) has a chance of returning at some point in the playoffs, that doesn't appear to be the case for Moore. As such, it's likely that the third-year wideout's campaign will come to an end with Moore having logged no catches on three targets over six games.
The Chiefs placed Moore on injured reserve Thursday due to a core-muscle injury. Moore joins fellow wideouts Hollywood Brown (shoulder) and Rashee Rice (knee) on IR, with the move occurring on the same day that DeAndre Hopkins was officially traded to the Chiefs. The soonest Moore can return to game action is Nov. 24 against the Panthers, but it's unclear if he'll be ready to go by then. Head coach Andy Reid said that the receiver's injury will "need to get fixed," implying that Moore will soon get surgery, per Matt Derrick of ChiefsDigest.com. Prior to his placement on IR, the 2022 second-round pick did not record a catch on three targets over six games.
Moore played 33 of the Chiefs' 70 snaps on offense and failed to haul in his lone target in Sunday's 28-18 win over the 49ers. He also returned a kickoff for 28 yards. Moore's 47 percent snap share was his highest rate of the season, but he was unable to connect with quarterback Patrick Mahomes and remains without a reception through the Chiefs' first six games. Though Hollywood Brown (shoulder) and Rashee Rice (knee) are out for the regular season and JuJu Smith-Schuster (hamstring) is set to miss Sunday's game in Las Vegas, Moore is unlikely to see his role dramatically increase in Week 8. The Chiefs are in advanced talks with the Titans in a trade to acquire DeAndre Hopkins, whose arrival would push Moore down another spot on the depth chart.
Moore didn't record a reception (on two targets) during Sunday's 17-10 victory over the Chargers. Moore could see additional reps at wide receiver moving forward, with the team's two top expected weapons at the position, Hollywood Brown (shoulder) and Rashee Rice (knee), likely down for an extended period. However, Moore logged just 13 snaps following Rice's departure Sunday, so there may not be that much upside for the second-year wideout, even with a slightly clearer path to snaps. Xavier Worthy (45), Justin Watson (43) and JuJu Smith-Schuster (32) all played more snaps than Moore, and Noah Gray (32 snaps) may also see additional work if the team elects to run more two-tight end sets moving forward.
Moore logged just five snaps in Sunday's game versus the Bengals. Moore played just eight percent of the offensive snaps in the contest, ranking fifth among wideouts in the category. The third-year wideout has clearly fallen behind in the pecking order for playing time at this point and is best left on the waiver wire in nearly all formats, barring multiple injuries at the position that would open up playing time.
Moore played 10 offensive snaps (19 percent) but was not targeted in the Chiefs' 27-20 win over the Ravens on Thursday night. Moore wasn't able to record any offensive statistics in Kansas City's season-opener. Rookie first-round pick Xavier Worthy logging a two-TD debut effectively curtails any lingering hope that Moore would manage a late breakout, especially once Marquise Brown (shoulder) manages to get healthy. With Rashee Rice, Worthy and Brown all available, Moore may not end up being active on gamedays.
Moore isn't a lock to make the 2024 roster, according to ESPN's Adam Teicher. The 2022 second-round pick has averaged 1.4 catches for 16.5 yards through 30 regular-season games, mostly serving as Kansas City's fourth or fifth wide receiver. It won't be surprising if Moore ends up earning a depth job again, though his fate partially depends on how things play out with the 2024 NFL Draft, Rashee Rice's legal situation, and Kadarius Toney's health, among other factors. Rice and free-agent signing Marquise Brown figure to play a lot when available, though neither can exactly be called reliable. Even so, Moore's lack of playing time and production through two seasons suggests he's not the most likely beneficiary in the event things go south for one of the team's starters. Kansas City seems optimistic about Toney and Justin Watson and might devote an early draft pick to the position.
Moore hasn't surpassed two receptions in a game since Week 3 and finished third among wideouts with just 33 offensive snaps, trailing Rashee Rice (37) and Marquez Valdes-Scantling (35). There's little reason to roster Moore in any but dynasty or deep fantasy formats, considering how widespread the targets are outside of Travis Kelce.