Rashee Rice will return for the Kansas City Chiefs after his six-game suspension ended, and now it is all a guessing game as to how much No. 4 will see the field on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that Rice will see a heavy workload, and for a player who has been out for so long, that might be playing with fire.
Head coach Andy Reid stated Rice will play against Las Vegas, but his snap count is currently uncertain, and the Super Bowl-winning head coach might have subtly hinted that we should temper our expectations for Rice's return.
“It's great to have him back, but he's fresh here,” Reid said. “So, we'll see how he does. He's a good football player, and as a coach, you always welcome that for sure. We just want to get him back in the swing here.”
Hmm, he's "fresh here," which could mean a lot of things, and we think that, due to Rice being out for an extended period, maybe Reid is being cautious with how much they put in Rashee's plate first up.
Either way, Rice will play, but how much? That's a pure guessing game at this point.
More: Chiefs' Andy Reid has incredible response to analyst's report over Rashee Rice usage
Chiefs in the Super Bowl conversation with Rice's return
Having Rice back in the building has been a shot in the arm for the Chiefs, with Reid noting the mood has lifted since his return. We imagine the locker room will be amped to see him get his first reception on game day.
And the fact that the game is at Arrowhead as well means the home crowd will likely give him a resounding reception when it happens.
Sitting at 3-3, the Chiefs are alive for the division and the Super Bowl, and now with Rice returning, many think that Kansas City's form will now trend upward, and fresh off a win over the Detroit Lions, the AFC champs are now at their strongest with Rice's return.
But if you think he will play a starring role and play a majority of the snaps against the Raiders, maybe it might be smart to temper any expectations for No. 4.
More Chiefs news:
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- When will Rashee Rice return? Andy Reid coy on star WRs availability | Sporting News