Getty Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid.
Through four weeks of the regular season, the wide receiver position has been one of the biggest weaknesses on the Kansas City Chiefs roster. Despite that, head coach Andy Reid said the team has no desire to add bodies to the receiver room.
“No, we’re fine,” Reid said on October 4 when asked by a reporter if the team is thinking about adding another receiver.
Though Big Red is comfortable with the receiver room currently, he does have until the October 31 trade deadline to change his mind and trade for one.
Chiefs Receivers Have Struggled Through First 4 Games
Kansas City’s top three pass catchers in the team’s 23-20 win over the New York Jets were tight end Travis Kelce (6-60), running back Isiah Pacheco (3-43), and tight end Noah Gray (1-34-1). The wide receivers on the roster collectively had 7 receptions for 65 yards.
Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore were expected to be the top receivers for the Chiefs in terms of production this season, yet Toney only has 57 yards on 9 receptions this season and Moore has 112 yards on 7 receptions and 1 touchdown (it’s worth noting that 70 of Moore’s total yardage came in Week 2).
Rookie wide receiver Rashee Rice is leading all Chiefs receivers in targets (19) and catches (13) through four games. Yet he routinely has had at least one ugly drop in each game, which could limit his ability to receive even more targets moving forward unless he can become more consistent.
“On that one, he just needed to look it all the way in,” Reid said on October 2 of Rice’s third-down drop late in the second quarter of Sunday’s win over the Jets. “He came back and had a nice one there later in the game which was big for us. Those will get further and further apart as we go – the drops.”
There’s still plenty of time for Kansas City’s young core of receivers to right the ship and be more productive moving forward. But through the first month of the regular season, they have struggled mightily.
Twitter Reacts to Chiefs Receiver Production
Users on Twitter/X reacted to Kansas City’s receiver production through the first four games of the regular season.
“MVS (Marquez Valdes-Scantling) and Skyy Moore lead all Chiefs WRs with 175 snaps. They have a combined 13 catches,” Nick Roesch of Chiefs Wire wrote. “Toney’s stone hands in Week 1 cost them the game and he’s shown nothing to believe he’s anything more than a gadget player. (Travis) Kelce’s being held in check because he’s the only threat.”
MVS and Skyy Moore lead all Chiefs WRs with 175 snaps. They have a combined 13 catches. Toney’s stone hands in Week 1 cost them the game and he’s shown nothing to believe he’s anything more than a gadget player. Kelce’s being held in check because he’s the only threat.
“Chiefs starting WRs are going to cook the next month against bad secondaries and we will think the team is elite again only to fold when playing elite secondaries later in the season,” another user wrote.
Chiefs starting WRs are going to cook the next month against bad secondaries and we will think the team is elite again only to fold when playing elite secondaries later in the season.
“Did the WRs struggle on Sunday yes. Will the Chiefs play a pass defense that good the rest of the season? Probably not,” another user wrote. “I say we wait till after the bye to see what they figure out. Im not ready to give up on Skyy. They need more reps for (Justyn) Ross and Rice.”
Did the WRs struggle on Sunday yes. Will the Chiefs play a pass defense that good the rest of the season? Probably not. I say we wait till after the bye to see what they figure out. Im not ready to give up on Skyy. They need more reps for Ross and Rice.
“The Chiefs need to start play actioning off the run,” another user wrote. “Hit teams over the middle of the field instead of running just hitches they also need to run slants & digs routes that Skyy is good at. Andy needs to play to his WRs strengths not weaknesses.”