Chiefs’ Rashee Rice not playing vs Chargers with hamstring injury as Kansas City remains limited

Chiefs' Rashee Rice not playing vs Chargers with hamstring injury as Kansas City remains limited

The Kansas City Chiefs will host the Los Angeles Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, but they will be without star running back Rashee Rice for their Week 6 clash.

The 26-year-old sustained his injury during Kansas City’s Week 4 victory over Las Vegas. Kansas City has officially ruled Rice out after he struggled with knee and hamstring injuries that kept him out of every practice session this week. The Chiefs had hoped Rice would be ready to return following their bye week, but the team ultimately opted to hold him out as a precaution. After making a short catch in the first half, Rice felt the muscle tighten and immediately moved out of bounds.

Wide receiver Tyquan Thornton also suffered an ankle injury in the same game and is expected to remain sidelined for at least another eight to 10 weeks. Rice, meanwhile, could return in Week 7 when the Chiefs face Seattle in a primetime matchup. The Kansas City Chiefs will look to preserve their perfect start to the NFL season when they face the Los Angeles Chargers in a Week 6 AFC West clash at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs enters the divisional showdown with a 4-0 record following its bye week, while the Chargers are still searching for their first win at 0-5 amid growing concerns about their offense. The host team head into the matchup on the back of a narrow 30-27 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, which extended their winning streak to four games. Their rushing attack has been a key source of strength so far, but losing leading wide receiver Rashee Rice presents a significant challenge for the passing game.

Rice’s absence adds to Kansas City’s receiving corps concerns, with Jimmy Holliday, Tyquan Thornton and Jeff Caldwell also unavailable after being placed on injured reserve. Kansas City’s available options include Xavier Worthy, Jalen Royals, Cyrus Allen, Nikko Remiggio, Andrew Armstrong and Justin Watson, leaving the team with fewer choices as it prepares for Sunday’s contest. As a result, the Chiefs will head into their Week 6 matchup against the Chargers with limited depth at wide receiver.