Patrick Mahomes faces major Chiefs problem as injuries to Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy expose receiving corps concerns

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs have a concern before their 2026 season opener: the wide receiver room. CBS Sports’ Jared Dubin ranked Kansas City 29th among all 32 NFL teams at the position, pointing to injury concerns around Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy. The Chiefs face the Denver Broncos on September 14, while Mahomes is expected to start after his knee surgery.Patrick Mahomes faces concern as Chiefs wide receivers rank 29thDubin’s ranking puts the spotlight on a group that has not had much stability. “With Rashee Rice still looking hobbled after rehabbing his knee injury in jail and Xavier Worthy again banged up in camp, the Chiefs might be counting on training-camp star Cyrus Allen to be a real factor, rather than a mere curiosity. That’s a dangerous game to play,” Dubin wrote for CBS Sports.Kansas City kept six wide receivers on its initial 53-man roster: Rice, Worthy, Tyquan Thornton, Jalen Royals, Nikko Remigio and Cyrus Allen. That leaves less room for proven depth if one of the main targets cannot play or is limited. The Chiefs had seven receivers in 2023 and 2024 and eight in 2025.Worthy enters the season with a chance to become a bigger part of the offense. He caught 42 passes for 532 yards and one touchdown last season despite playing through injuries. ESPN’s Dan Graziano has also pointed out that Kansas City had bigger plans for Worthy last year before a shoulder injury suffered on the third play of the season limited what the team could ask him to do.Xavier Worthy gives Patrick Mahomes a positive updateWorthy gave the Chiefs a reason to feel better on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters, he said he and Mahomes have spent the offseason working on their timing. “Me and Pat, we’ve kind of been working this offseason and obviously the timing and stuff you need to work on. . . . I feel like when it’s time to play, we’ll all be ready,” Worthy said, via NBC Sports.That connection could matter because Denver is the first test. The bigger news is that Mahomes appears ready to return. The Associated Press reported Wednesday that he has worked with the first team in camp after December surgery to repair torn ligaments in his left knee.Doctors had initially suggested October as a possible return, but Mahomes moved faster than expected. He did not play during the preseason, but that was planned. Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Wednesday, “He’s going to keep practicing just like he’s been doing,” while explaining that the team’s work before the opener will include more one-on-one practice.There is still an issue in front of him. Left tackle Josh Simmons remained out Wednesday with a back injury, while guard Trey Smith has been dealing with a hip injury. Kansas City has added depth on the line, but Mahomes could enter Week 1 with questions around both his protection and his receivers.For now, the Chiefs have a quarterback who appears on track to play and a receiving group that must prove the 29th-place ranking wrong.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.