Shawn Siegele warned managers to pump the brakes on Rashee Rice, noting the receiver "is going to be up for a month and a half." Siegele argued that by the time Rice returns the Chiefs’ depth chart and pecking order could look completely different—especially if Xavier Worthy or other options seize the available snaps. With no practice time and limited conditioning, Siegele doubts Rice will command meaningful routes in September, making his current mid-round cost a trap in both Season-Long and Best Ball formats.

Jason Moore pushed back hard on drafting Rashee Rice inside the top seven rounds. He stressed that a six-game suspension wipes out nearly half the fantasy regular season and forces managers to burn both a starting spot (once he returns) and a bench spot (while he’s out). Moore noted Rice’s résumé is still largely one three-game hot streak and said he prefers healthier options such as Chris Olave, Calvin Ridley, and Deebo Samuel in the same draft range. For Moore, Rice becomes palatable only in the 9th or even 10th round, after the plug-and-play WR2 tier is gone.

Mike Wright remained bullish on Rashee Rice even after the league handed down a six-game suspension. Wright argued Rice is still worth a 6th–to-7th-round pick because he believes the second-year wideout has true difference-maker potential once active. The Chiefs leaned on Rice for first-read slants and middle-of-the-field work down the stretch last year, and Wright expects that role to return immediately in Week 7. He framed the suspension as a predictable, finite bench deletion—one that savvy managers can absorb early for eight straight regular-season games (Weeks 7-14) plus the fantasy playoffs. In his view, passing on boom-bust options like Khalil Shakir for Rice’s ceiling is the type of ‘big-brain’ play that wins leagues.

Jason Moore drafted Rashee Rice in the late eighth round and called it "worth the risk" because he expects Rice to remain productive once he is on the field. Moore acknowledged uncertainty around a potential suspension but stressed that the wideout "will be playing a bunch of football" and that, as his fourth receiver, he can absorb a few missed games while still offering strong weekly ceilings when active. Moore framed Rice as the ideal bench stash who can pay off handsomely when bye weeks and injuries hit later in the season.

Chris Liss said Rashee Rice is still a priority mid-round target even with a looming league suspension. Liss is "very confident it's going to be at least six" games and is "still betting on eight, won't be shocked if it's ten," but emphasized that managers are not forced to eat zeros— they can draft temporary fill-ins such as Xavier Worthy or Hollywood Brown. Because the uncertainty has driven Rice’s ADP from the 4th to the late-8th round over the last week, Liss would now take him ahead of George Kittle or even Jaylen Waddle when he can afford to wait on production. The payoff, in his view, is eventual exposure to Patrick Mahomes’ target tree at a steep discount, a combination that gives Rice league-winning upside once the suspension is served.

Shawn Siegele said Rashee Rice’s current draft price is a land mine. Internal league reports asked for a suspension of nearly ten games, and even Rice’s appeal is expected to leave him sidelined five or six. Siegele argued that missing half the fantasy regular season destroys Rice’s value in tournament-style best-ball formats and that drafters should simply cross him off their early-round boards and redirect Kansas City exposure elsewhere.

Matthew Freedman told readers to buy Rashee Rice despite a looming disciplinary hearing that pushed his Yahoo ADP down to 63.5. Freedman argues that even if Rice misses games in October, he is still Patrick Mahomes’ top wideout the rest of the year and profiles as a difference-maker when available.

Jake Trowbridge recommended avoiding Rashee Rice entirely. Rice’s disciplinary hearing is set for Sept 30, and Trowbridge fears a 6-plus-game suspension that could overlap fantasy playoffs given Kansas City’s Week-10 bye. Even if Rice is active Weeks 1-4, the Chiefs open against three top-12 pass defenses, limiting early usefulness. The uncertainty around timing of any appeal adds further downside, so Trowbridge will not draft Rice at all.

While the consensus moved Rashee Rice up to 43rd overall, Jeff Erickson held firm at 66, essentially two rounds below the other three analysts. The article explains Rice’s earlier slide was driven by suspension concerns; although settlement news has softened that outlook, Erickson is unconvinced enough to adjust. His stance signals that he is still pricing in a multi-game ban and prefers safer options in the WR4 range, advising drafters not to chase the recent ADP climb.

Jim Coventry pushed Rashee Rice up from 70th in July to 40th in the August 14 Roundtable update. The article notes Rice "had fallen to 54th on the expectation of a suspension" but has now "rebounded" to 43rd overall in the composite, and Coventry’s revised rank is even more aggressive. Coventry’s move is tied to the diminished suspension outlook—reinforced by Friday’s headline that "a settlement could be reached" in Rice’s case. With fewer missed games now projected, Coventry views Rice as a viable every-week PPR starter and the clear WR1 in Kansas City’s offense once active, making him a draft target in the late-fourth/early-fifth round of single-QB PPR formats.

Matthew Wiley warned drafters that Rashee Rice’s profile has flipped from clever stash to high-risk landmine. Wiley originally tolerated a projected six-game ban, figuring he could survive early season zeros and profit from Mahomes, Rice stacks in the playoff weeks. New chatter suggests the NFL might delay discipline until later in the year, potentially sidelining Rice during the all-important DraftKings advancement and finals weeks. Because those rounds account for a massive chunk of EV, Wiley now views Rice as a fading pick at current WR3/WR4 ADP and recommends either passing entirely or demanding a steep discount to account for the risk that you "don’t have him down the stretch."

Pat Kerrane remained bullish on Rashee Rice, arguing the market is over-reacting to the suspension cloud. Kerrane expects the disciplinary process to move much faster than the Deshaun Watson precedent because the plea deal means facts are settled and the hearing happens in-season. His base assumption is “meeting then ruling,” with Susan Robinson potentially handing down the decision within a week, which would keep a six-game ban entirely inside Weeks 5-11 and allow Rice to return for the Main-Event playoffs. With that timeline in mind, Kerrane is comfortable drafting Rice alongside players like Chris Olave and Rome Odunze and believes the discount will disappear if a quick ruling materializes.

Jakob Sanderson warned that the timing of Rashee Rice’s looming personal-conduct suspension creates a very real chance managers lose him for the FFPC Main-Event league playoffs that start in Week 13. The hearing is scheduled after Week 4; if the arbitrator (Susan Robinson) hands down the widely expected six-game ban and then takes more than a week to release her decision—as she did in the Deshaun Watson case—the six games plus waiting period would wipe out the Chiefs’ seven contests between Weeks 6-12 (Kansas City has a Week 10 bye). Sanderson put Rice’s availability odds at roughly 80 percent for Best-Ball playoff weeks (17-17) but only 50-50 for managed-league playoffs. Because of that added risk he is dropping Rice to the “round-six, Chris Olave / Jalen Jennings / Ricky Pearsall nexus” and called aggressive drafting right now a mistake.

Pat Kerrane argued that Rashee Rice is essentially undraftable in the FFPC Main Event after the latest legal update. Kerrane walked through the timeline: the earliest the NFL could issue discipline is Week 5; if a six-game ban is handed down and Rice immediately appeals, the process would almost certainly drag beyond Week 10, pushing any enforced absence into the league-playoff window (Weeks 15–17). Because FFPC uses head-to-head regular-season weeks to qualify for a tournament-style playoff, Kerrane said teams cannot afford to lose a starting wideout during that period. He compared the situation to Ezekiel Elliott’s mid-season suspension in 2017, noting how that torpedoed otherwise strong rosters. With wide-receiver depth plentiful in the draft range and Kansas City already adding Marquise Brown and rookie Xavier Worthy, Kerrane recommended simply passing on Rice at any price until there is clarity on the disciplinary timeline.

Best Ball Guy said the uncertainty around Rashee Rice’s legal situation creates a rare ceiling-floor combo worth attacking in huge-field best-ball tournaments. Because Rice’s trial date was pushed to September 20, there is a realistic path to getting at least four regular-season games— and possibly the entire 2025 season— before any NFL discipline kicks in. That unknown is scaring drafters, pushing Rice into the 4th–6th-round range instead of the 2nd/3rd where he opened. In a contest that requires beating roughly 700,000 entries, BBG views that ADP discount as ‘big, big, big potential value’ and is mixing him in despite the volatility, arguing that early-season spike weeks from a Patrick Mahomes receiver are exactly the kind of asymmetric payoff you need to win Best Ball Mania.

Chris Raybon has already shaved Rashee Rice’s projection down to 12.5 games because of possible league discipline and minor groin issues, yet Rice still ranks WR 23 in his model—the first time Raybon can recall a player expected to miss time remaining a clear value. Raybon believes the market routinely over-penalizes suspended players, forgetting that weeks missed early in the season coincide with peak roster health and no byes. Because Rice will be 100 percent when he returns, Raybon is comfortable drafting him even as a fourth receiver in redraft or as a differentiating WR1 in best-ball tournaments now that his ADP has fallen below teammate Xavier Worthy.

Sean Koerner has only docked Rashee Rice one game in his projection (14 played) and says that whenever Rice is active he pushes high-end WR2, sometimes WR1, fantasy numbers thanks to a massive target share in Kansas City. Koerner argues a potential early-season suspension is survivable in season-long leagues because rosters are deepest in Weeks 1-4 and Rice will return at full health. With Rice’s ADP slipping to the WR 25 area, Koerner sees a clear buying opportunity: managers can draft running backs early, stash Rice as a WR1/2, and backfill wideout with depth. He is less enthusiastic in best ball but still willing in large-field tournaments that reward uniqueness.

Chris Raybon believes the market is underrating Rashee Rice because of the possibility of league discipline. He has Rice inside his top-24 wide receivers even when he bakes in an assumption of only 12 games played, arguing that Rice will inherit the high-percentage targets Travis Kelce used to dominate now that the veteran tight end is in decline. If Rice avoids suspension entirely, Raybon expects him to lead Kansas City in targets and easily beat current ADP. The uncertainty is scaring drafters away, but Raybon sees a strong buying opportunity given Rice’s established chemistry with Patrick Mahomes and his role as the first read on the majority of quick-hitting concepts in Andy Reid’s playbook.

Rice is facing a projected four-to-six-game suspension with a disciplinary hearing set for September 30 and is rehabbing an LCL injury, yet McFarland reminded readers he has averaged 17.8 PPG since becoming Patrick Mahomes’ top option in Week 14 of 2023. Because Mahomes and Andy Reid can fuel multiple starters, McFarland believes patient drafters are “probably getting a WR1 when he returns” at a Round-5/6 price (57 ADP).

Davis Mattek warned drafters to throttle back on Rashee Rice exposure until the league finally announces the looming suspension he expects to be "four to six games." Mattek noted that once the punishment becomes official Rice’s ADP will almost certainly crater—just as Jordan Addison’s dipped immediately after his three-game news last year—creating a far better buying window for the final 20–25 Best Ball Mania entries. He is only taking Rice in time-boxed contests that finish before the suspension bites, preferring to "windmill in" the cheaper price later for regular-season formats. The long-term view stays bullish on Rice’s role in a Patrick Mahomes offense; the short-term advice is simple: stop clicking him at current fifth-round cost and wait for the discount.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound warned drafters off Rashee Rice at his current ADP, stressing that a possible four-to-six game suspension would tie up a roster spot for too long in Eliminator formats. He flatly stated, "Can't do it" at that price.

Best Ball Guy told drafters to "hammer" Rashee Rice only if his average draft position drifts into the mid-to-late fifth or sixth round. At that cost the opportunity-weighted upside outweighs the risk tied to Kansas City’s crowded receiver room and possible league discipline; paying a fourth-round tag, however, comes with too much opportunity cost relative to similarly tiered wideouts. His advice is to monitor the ADP slide and pounce once Rice’s price bakes in the uncertainty.

Best Ball Guy warned that Rashee Rice's current 4th-round ADP does not yet reflect the expected 4-to-6 game suspension. He anticipates drafters will push Rice into the mid-to-late 5th or 6th round once the suspension tag appears on draft boards. Because Rice "is more likely to win you weeks 15–17," the host advised waiting for the inevitable price drop and then loading up, calling it an "easy" decision once the market fully bakes in the absence.

Pat Fitzmaurice advised fading Rashee Rice despite his electric 2023. Rice faces a likely suspension and is rehabbing a serious knee injury. The target landscape has also shifted: first-round pick Xavier Worthy (50 catches in his last eight games, including playoffs) and Hollywood Brown join Travis Kelce atop the pecking order. Rice’s original breakout came with Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Justin Watson as his main competition; Fitzmaurice doubts that volume returns in 2025.

Andy Holloway willingly spent a sixth-round pick on Rashee Rice despite the six-game suspension, saying, "I get what I believe is a wide-receiver one when he's out on the field." Holloway expects Rice to step right back into Patrick Mahomes’ target-hog role after serving the ban and is comfortable starting the season slowly at WR if it means unlocking WR1 production for the playoff push.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound said Rashee Rice is an automatic click whenever he slides into the late-fourth / early-fifth round range (picks 46-49). Rice was once being taken at 22-24 overall, so the current 20-plus-pick discount more than covers the expected league discipline. Pat projected a 3- or 4-game suspension and argued that Rice’s upside as Patrick Mahomes’ primary wideout during the money weeks outweighs the early absence. He did warn drafters to bolster Weeks 1-3 production elsewhere and to avoid pairing Rice with another early-season absentee such as Jordan Addison, because that combo materially lowers your Round-1 advance rate in Best Ball Mania.

Rich Hribar pointed out that Rashee Rice’s ADP has slid into the fifth round, and he still likes grabbing him there. Hribar believes Rice should be selected ahead of rookie teammate Xavier Worthy because Rice already produced for Kansas City last season while Worthy’s role is purely speculative. The discount makes Rice his preferred Chiefs wideout once the elite tiers are gone.

Best Ball Guy said drafters are "not factoring in" that Rashee Rice already returned from a multi-ligament knee repair and is "shining at camp right where he left off." He is ignoring Rice’s mediocre 40-time and 5-yard average depth of target, explaining that the wideout looks fully healthy and any lingering concern is only "10 % in the back of my head." Because Rice might miss at most “two games” yet still projects to reclaim a large role in the Chiefs offense, Best Ball Guy is happy to keep clicking him at current ADP and believes the market’s injury fear is overblown.

Sam Monson predicted Rashee Rice will regain his status as Patrick Mahomes’ primary wideout and pay off handsomely in 2025 fantasy formats. Monson reminded listeners that two seasons ago Rice "came out of nowhere" to command the team-high target share during Kansas City’s playoff push, and that surge directly coincided with the offense’s late-season uptick. Last year’s downturn, he argued, was a product of early-season injuries that shelved both Rice (Week 4 knee) and Marquise Brown, while thrusting rookie burner Xavier Worthy into a miscast possession role. With Rice fully healthy, Brown stretching defenses vertically, and Worthy now slotted back into his natural deep-threat assignment, Monson expects Andy Reid to rediscover a more explosive, horizontally-stressed scheme. That environment should funnel high-percentage intermediate targets back to Rice, positioning him for WR2 production in season-long leagues and making him a priority pick in Best-Ball drafts where spike-week potential is coveted. DFS players can look to Rice in early slates before his salary climbs if Kansas City’s preseason vertical emphasis shows up in September.

Best Ball Guy said Rashee Rice ‘finishes like the wide receiver five’ over the back half of the season. The only on-stream justification he offered was schedule-based: Rice gets at least one exploitable matchup versus Denver, a defense the tout repeatedly targeted during the draft. Rice is also part of the Kansas City passing game that the drafter stacked around, giving him correlated tournament upside in best-ball playoff weeks. The tout framed Rice as a league-winning ceiling play rather than a floor piece, making him a priority mid-round target when you are hunting for top-1% outcomes.

Breaking down Rashee Rice's legal situation, Best Ball Guy said a 4-to-6-game suspension is the most likely outcome but emphasized that legal proceedings can easily drag on, leaving open the possibility Rice plays most of the season. With Kansas City’s WR depth chart wide open and a Week 17 indoor game against Houston, he believes Rice’s Round-5 ADP bakes in the downside while still offering massive playoff upside if the suspension is shorter or delayed. BG is comfortable pulling the trigger because he already has plenty of Rice exposure from earlier third-round drafts, and a fifth-round tag is a meaningful discount relative to second-round prices some drafters paid.

Tom Strachan said Rashee Rice is priced at least 15 spots too high with a Sleeper ADP of 41. He expects the NFL to levy a 3-to-6-game suspension for Rice’s multiple off-field incidents and reminded listeners Rice already missed all but three games last season with injury. By the time the ban is served, Rice could have been absent for 23 consecutive Chiefs contests while the club has discovered reliable production from Xavier Worthy plus healthy Marquise Brown and Isaiah Pacheco. Strachan personally ranks Rice 58th overall and warned that any delay in the league’s decision increases the chance the suspension overlaps fantasy playoff weeks. He is not removing Rice from his board, but believes paying a fourth-round price is a roster-crippling gamble.

Hayden Winks called Rashee Rice a classic boom-bust play and pushed him down to 51st in his half-PPR best-ball ranks because an early-season suspension makes it tougher to finish top-2 in Underdog’s regular-season pods. In typical home redraft leagues, where half the field reaches the playoffs, Winks is fine scooping Rice once he slips past ADP, noting managers can patch over four to six missed games. He still wants exposure to a Chiefs offense he expects to rebound in 2024 and thinks Rice plus first-round pick Xavier Worthy can both flourish once Rice returns, but cautioned drafters not to overpay in format-specific tournaments that heavily weight Weeks 1-14 production.

Josh said he is perfectly happy drafting Rashee Rice 34th overall even with a looming 4–6-game suspension. He believes Rice has "taken over the soul of this passing offense" from Travis Kelce, owning the short-to-intermediate area that has produced league-winning numbers in Kansas City for nearly a decade. Josh highlighted that Rice averaged 17.6 PPR points over the first three games of 2024, then posted 14.9 per game from Week 12-17 as a rookie and followed that with four straight playoff outings of 7-65-0 on average. Combine that sustained volume with elite yards-after-catch ability and an offense that just added even more boundary speed, and Josh expects Rice to be a second-half sledgehammer who can win fantasy titles at a discount ADP of 52.

Davis Mattek advised treating Rice very differently across contest types. In large-field, season-long best-ball (BBM) he is passing on the Chiefs wideout at his current early-fourth ADP, expecting an inevitable suspension to force a multi-week absence and push Rice into the fifth round later in August. Mattek has Rice ranked WR46—one slot behind George Pickens—so he only clicks the draft button when Rice actually falls to the 5/6 turn, allowing drafters to bank value on the discount. Conversely, in single-week or short, time-boxed tournaments (e.g., Ship Chasing weekend drafts) he is comfortable selecting Rice at market because the smaller prize pools and condensed playoff schedule reduce the leverage gained from waiting for further ADP drift. Mattek’s bottom line: fade Rice in BBM until he’s a clear fifth-rounder, but scoop the ceiling in tighter formats where missing a couple of September games is less punitive.

Best Ball Guy suggested scooping Rashee Rice when he slips into the 4th or 5th round, noting reports that his seven-car crash charges were reduced to a misdemeanor and could lead to a short, possibly two-game suspension. He referenced historical precedence—cheap shares of Alvin Kamara during his legal saga paid off—and adds that Rice is still practicing with Patrick Mahomes. If the penalty ends up light, the current discount evaporates quickly, making the risk-reward calculus attractive in best-ball formats.

Rice faces the same 3–6-game absence as Addison, but Fuller noted that nervous managers are marking him down even harder because of Kansas City’s crowded receiver room. He recommended buying while others fear short-term volatility, reminding readers that elite quarterbacks have historically propped up their primary targets once the dust settles.

Pat Kerrane said Rashee Rice is being drafted at or near his ceiling and urged drafters to treat him as a discount-only target. Rice’s Underdog ADP jumped from 38th overall in late April to 21st by July 7, then slid back to 34.1 (WR18) after the July 17 plea-bargain news. Because the plea virtually guarantees a league suspension, Kerrane expects a ban of somewhere between two and ten games. He noted that the current WR18 price would be fine if the suspension is only two games but would be a disaster if it stretches to the high end of projections. Kerrane recommended passing on Rice unless he falls at least a full round, stressing that managers in home or high-stakes season-long leagues should not spend a fifth-round pick on a player who could miss most of the fantasy regular season. High-volume best-ball drafters can sprinkle in some shares at a reduced ADP to capture Rice’s elite per-game upside—he ranked WR5 across the nine games from Week 12 ’23 to Week 3 ’24 and led all wide receivers in YAC per game—but should understand they are taking on outsized risk if the NFL issues a lengthy suspension.

Rice is expected to miss 2-4 games for off-field discipline but has averaged 17.8 PPR points since becoming a starter in Week 14 of 2023. He owns Patrick Mahomes’ trust (30% targets inside the 10) and has no serious target competition outside rookie burner Xavier Worthy, who will start fast but doesn’t profile as an underneath volume hog. McFarland is ahead of ADP, asserting Rice remains the best points-per-game bet among Round-4 WRs once active and should be drafted as a high-end WR2 stash.

McFarland is drafting Rice ahead of ADP despite an expected 2–4 game suspension and recovery from an LCL injury. Since becoming Patrick Mahomes’ full-time flanker in Week 14, 2023, Rice has averaged 17.8 PPG and consistently earned a 25% target share in Andy Reid’s condensed attack. Rookie Xavier Worthy will get early-season opportunities, but McFarland stressed that Mahomes can support two fantasy starters and Rice remains the most proven option. Managers willing to stash him through September can gain a weekly WR2 the rest of the way while others chase the waiver wire.

Tom Strachan advised fading Rashee Rice in Drafters best-ball drafts because cumulative scoring punishes early zeros. Rice is expected to miss several weeks to open 2025 because of suspension, leaving managers without usable production during a stretch where every point carries equal weight. Strachan argued that burning mid-round capital on a player who posts goose eggs while bye weeks loom creates an opportunity cost your roster may never recover from. He urged drafters to prioritise receivers who will be active in Week 1 and deliver immediate volume.

Ray Summerlin argued that the market has over-corrected on Rashee Rice. While drafters treat the looming suspension as if Rice will be a zeros across the board, Summerlin stressed that any absence is not injury-related, eliminating re-injury risk, and best-ball lineups replace those weeks with a bench score. He prefers Rice over rookie Xavier Worthy at current ADPs, noting that even a 6–8 game sample of Rice in Patrick Mahomes’ offense could outscore a full year of replacement-level options. Summerlin believes Rice is still being under-drafted relative to his likely high-efficiency target share once active.

Overzet highlighted that his Round-2 Rice shares are underwater (-9.1 average CLV) now that the Chiefs wideout’s ADP has cratered to 37.5 amid suspension concerns. Those early picks will compete against managers who scoop Rice in the 4th-5th round, creating a structural disadvantage. He recommends steering clear until the market fully bakes in the games-missed risk.

Best Ball Guy warned that letting Rashee Rice slip to the 5/6 turn can create "super-teams" if the Chiefs wideout avoids a lengthy suspension. He compared the situation to early-summer Joe Burrow drafters who were grabbing the quarterback naked in Round 6 just to block elite stacks from forming on the wrap. Because Rice’s legal outcome is still uncertain, his price could jump a full round the moment there is even a hint the league will go easy. Grabbing him in Round 5 now protects your portfolio from watching an explosive Chiefs WR land on rosters that already spent premium capital elsewhere, a leverage edge that matters in small-field best-ball contests like the $50 Chow Chow.

Ben Gretch warned that Rashee Rice’s Round-5 best-ball price ignores two red flags. First, any early-season suspension means the sophomore will have to "board a moving train," Mike Tomlin’s term for players trying to re-enter an offense that has already found rhythm without them. Second, Rice’s 2023 fantasy appeal rested on an 81 % catch rate on ultra-short targets (league-low 4.5-yard aDOT), a combo Gretch doubts is sustainable over a full season. With Travis Kelce, new arrival Hollywood Brown and rookies Xavier Worthy and Jalen Royals all demanding snaps, Gretch sees a realistic path where Rice returns, plays fewer routes than drafters expect, and never justifies his mid-round cost. He prefers taking the rookies or even buying Patrick Mahomes naked rather than assuming Rice reprises last year’s volume-plus-efficiency blend.

Jonathan Fuller recommended treating Rashee Rice’s looming suspension as a buying opportunity. Rice posted a 13.23 PPR points-per-game average and strong utilization metrics last season, proving he can command targets from Patrick Mahomes. Fuller stressed that a handful of missed games will not dent his long-term ceiling and urged dynasty managers to send out offers while the narrative is still negative.

Whalen warned drafters that Rashee Rice’s ADP must slide until the NFL announces discipline stemming from his July 17th incident. He was comfortable taking Rice in Round 2 prior to the news, but now views any 3- to 6-game suspension as a realistic outcome. Whalen will not make a final ranking adjustment until an official ruling lands, yet advised listeners to treat Rice as a boom-bust pick whose early-season absence could cost precious head-to-head wins.

Pete Overzet reminded readers that Round-2 Rashee Rice shares are already underwater. Rice’s looming suspension has cratered his ADP to 37.5, giving those picks a –9.1 closing-line value in Pete’s own data pull. He warned that early Rice teams will have to beat opponents who can now draft the Chiefs wideout in the 4th or even 5th round, creating an immediate quality gap. The takeaway: if you missed the initial dip, keep fading until the news fully bottoms out the price.

Rich Hribar said gamers are over-penalizing Rashee Rice for his likely 3- or 4-game suspension. Even after trimming Rice’s target share to account for early rust and a larger slice for rookie Xavier Worthy, Hribar’s median projection still spits out the Chiefs sophomore as the WR15 for the full season. He reminded listeners that replacement value matters—those first few weeks you will slot in another receiver rather than take a zero. Hribar cited historical comps: Julian Edelman in 2018 (fell to WR30 ADP, returned as the WR12 in points per game) and Steve Smith’s two-game ban in 2017, both of which paid off handsomely once they were back. Unless the NFL drops a six-plus-game hammer, Hribar will keep Rice in the late-third/early-fourth-round "fulcrum" alongside Terry McLaurin and Garrett Wilson, and he’s "smashing" every Round-5 slide in Best Ball or season-long drafts.

Jeff Mueller explained that Rashee Rice’s season-ending injury was an LCL tear paired with a surgically repaired hamstring rupture—serious on paper but far less worrisome after seeing Rice’s March–April workout clips showing full-speed change of direction and deceleration. Rice avoided the preseason PUP list and, per Andy Reid, will reclaim his high target-per-route slot role alongside Xavier Worthy once active. While legal analysts and Chiefs beat reporters project only a 2–4-game suspension, Rice’s ADP has fallen to Round 5. Mueller is aggressively drafting him there, projecting low early-season opportunity cost (replacement points fill the gap) and WR2 production over Weeks 5-17 thanks to Kansas City’s pass-heavy scheme and Rice’s 2023 efficiency (top-12 yards per route run).

Pat Kerrane argued that drafters worried about Rashee Rice losing his spot to Xavier Worthy are overreacting. The Chiefs are installing Worthy-specific game plans for Weeks 1–4, but the season-long playbook still revolves around Rice’s underneath, yards-after-catch skill set that Kansas City lacked when the offense stalled last year. Kerrane noted Rice already has timing with Patrick Mahomes and was "crushing" in the shallow areas of the field as a rookie, so Worthy has to be legitimately special to push Rice into a secondary role. Kerrane therefore views Rice’s post-suspension target share as secure, framing the current ADP dip as an opportunity rather than a red flag.