Rashee Rice Week 1 Outlook - Ravens at Chiefs

By Derek Brown (FantasyPros), Wed, Sep 4th 2024, 8:38pm EDT

Rice looks to pick up where he left off last season. In Weeks 12-17, after assuming a full-time role, he gobbled up a 25.2% target share with a 30.3% first-read share, producing 2.77 yards per route run and 18.6 fantasy points per game. This preseason, his rapport with Patrick Mahomes remained strong, with a 35.2% target per route run rate and 2.06 yards per route run. Rice should be featured heavily in this opening game against the Ravens' two-high defense. In 2023, Baltimore deployed two-high on 53.3% (eighth-highest) of their defensive snaps. Yes, they switched from Mike Macdonald to Zach Orr as defensive coordinator, but Orr has been a long-time Baltimore defensive coach (linebackers). I expect him to integrate his wrinkles into the scheme, but I'm projecting them to still use two-high coverage with more than 50% of their defensive snaps. After Week 11 last season, Rice led the team with a 21.4% target share, 2.78 yards per route run, and a 28.6% first-read share (tied with Travis Kelce) against two-high. If Mahomes isn't looking for Kelce when he drops back, it'll be Rice.