Wide receiver troubles plagued the Chiefs for the majority of the 2023 NFL season but did not stop them from winning a second consecutive Super Bowl.
Star quarterback Patrick Mahomes exercised his ability to get the most out of his teammates and breakout rookie Rashee Rice was a major beneficiary.
Rice became one of Mahomes' favorite targets, registering 938 receiving yards on 79 receptions and seven touchdowns. He maintained that production in the postseason, logging 262 receiving yards on 26 receptions with one touchdown.
But the 2023 second-round pick had a controversial offseason following the Chiefs' Super Bowl title. He was involved in a hit-and-run crash in Dallas and faces eight felony charges in a case that remains open.
How will that affect Rice's availability for Week 1 and the remainder of the 2024 season? The Sporting News has you covered with the latest updates below.
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Is Rashee Rice playing today vs. Ravens?
Rice will play in the Chiefs' Week 1 matchup against the Ravens on Thursday.
The 24-year-old could face a suspension for the hit-and-run at some point, but the timeline is undefined.
"We don't anticipate he'll be placed on [the] commissioner's exempt [list] unless there is a material change in the case," NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy told reporters of Rice's potential suspension on Aug. 29.
In April, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported it was not a guarantee that Rice would be suspended in 2024. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said at the start of training camp that he had not heard anything from the league.
Until there is another update provided, expect Rice to resume his role as the Chiefs' No. 1 wide receiver alongside injured Hollywood Brown and rookie first-round pick Xavier Worthy. With Brown out for Week 1, Rice's workload could be even bigger than usual.
WEEK 1 NFL: Power rankings | ATS picks | SU picks
Chiefs 2024 schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | TV | Tickets |
| 1 | Sept. 5 (Thu.) | vs. Ravens | 8:20 p.m. | NBC | Buy now |
| 2 | Sept. 15 | at Bengals | 4:25 p.m. | CBS | Buy now |
| 3 | Sept. 22 | at Falcons | 8:20 p.m.. | NBC | Buy now |
| 4 | Sept. 29 | at Chargers | 4:25 p.m. | CBS | Buy now |
| 5 | Oct. 7 (Mon.) | vs. Saints | 8:15 p.m. | ESPN | Buy now |
| 6 | BYE | ||||
| 7 | Oct. 20 | at 49ers | 4:25 p.m. | Fox | Buy now |
| 8 | Oct. 27 | at Raiders | 4:25 p.m. | CBS | Buy now |
| 9 | Nov. 4 (Mon.) | vs. Buccaneers | 8:15 p.m. | ESPN | Buy now |
| 10 | Nov. 10 | vs. Broncos | 1 p.m. | CBS | Buy now |
| 11 | Nov. 17 | at Bills | 4:25 p.m. | CBS | Buy now |
| 12 | Nov. 24 | at Panthers | 1 p.m. | CBS | Buy now |
| 13 | Nov. 29 (Fri.) | vs. Raiders | 3 p.m. | Amazon Prime | Buy now |
| 14 | Dec. 8 | vs. Chargers | 8:20 pm. | NBC | Buy now |
| 15 | Dec. 15 | at Browns | 1 p.m. | CBS | Buy now |
| 16 | Dec. 21 (Sat.) | vs. Texans | 1 p.m. | NBC | Buy now |
| 17 | Dec. 25 (Wed) | at Steelers | 1 p.m. | Netflix | Buy now |
| 18 | TBD | at Broncos | TBD | TBD | Buy now |