KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The undefeated Kansas City Chiefs will be without wide receiver Rashee Rice and starting left tackle Josh Simmons when they host the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday afternoon, head coach Andy Reid announced Friday.
Reid confirmed following Friday’s practice that neither player would suit up for the Week 6 AFC West contest at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, the Associated Press reported. Kansas City enters the game with a 4-0 record following its bye week, while the visiting Chargers remain winless on the season, according to Gridiron Heroics.
Receiver depth tested after Rice injury
Rice injured his hamstring during the Chiefs’ Week 4 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. While the wide receiver was observed jogging along the sideline in sweatpants during open practice viewing this week, he did not participate in team sessions on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, Sports Illustrated reported. ClutchPoints noted that Rice has also dealt with knee trouble.
Despite his absence for Sunday’s matchup, Kansas City does not plan to place Rice on injured reserve, according to Sports Illustrated. Reid expressed optimism that the receiver could return relatively quickly, telling reporters that Rice is “a pretty fast healer.”
Rice’s absence thins an already banged-up wide receiver rotation. Kansas City recently placed wideout Tyquan Thornton on injured reserve after he suffered a dislocated ankle in Las Vegas, the AP reported. Through four appearances this season, Rice has caught 13 passes for 190 yards and one touchdown, according to ClutchPoints.
With Rice sidelined, quarterback Patrick Mahomes will lean on a receiving corps featuring Xavier Worthy, Jalen Royals, Nikko Remigio and rookie Cyrus Allen on the active roster. The Chiefs also have veterans and reserves Justin Watson, Omari Evans and Andrew Armstrong available on the practice squad, according to the AP. Reid emphasized Friday that Mahomes maintains strong trust in the supplemental pass-catchers who are preparing to step into larger roles.
Simmons continues recovery on offensive line
Simmons will miss his fifth consecutive game of the 2026 campaign as he continues to recover from a bulging disc in his lower back, Gridiron Heroics reported. The back injury has sidelined the 2025 first-round draft pick since mid-August, when the issue began affecting his leg strength.
Although Simmons returned to the practice field this week on a limited basis, he was kept out of full-team periods. Reid explained that the limited workload was part of a planned ramp-up process designed to rebuild fundamentals and technique without rushing the tackle into live action, according to Sports Illustrated.
Undrafted rookie Kahlil Benson will make his fifth straight start at left tackle in place of Simmons, Gridiron Heroics reported. Benson, who initially competed at right tackle before switching over following Simmons’ injury, was selected as the AFC Offensive Rookie of the Month for September after yielding 10 quarterback pressures and zero sacks over his first four starts.
Elsewhere on the offensive front, Jaylon Moore will start at right tackle, and Kingsley Suamataia will step back into the starting lineup at left guard, the AP reported. Suamataia was held out of the Week 4 contest against the Raiders due to an undisclosed coaching decision that Reid declined to detail publicly.
The Chiefs will look to maintain their unbeaten record against Los Angeles, while the team monitors how quickly Rice and Simmons can progress toward full-contact work ahead of Week 7.
