Team news: Kansas City Chiefs | Page 4

NFL is aiming for at least a potential six-game suspension for Chiefs WR Rashee Rice for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, sources tell ESPN. The suspension would kick in at the start of this season.

Related Players: Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Travis Kelce

Presumably, the "aiming" part means that six games isn't locked in stone, but we can safely assume that four games is the floor. Rice is still very much draftable, but this is an obvious boost to the rest of the receiving corps, and Kelce could be the biggest beneficiary if the team isn't "saving" him for the postseason. This is a far better outcome for Rice than if it were going to be in the middle-to-late part of the season, which is what was originally bandied about.

The Saints plan to terminate the contract of Clyde Edwards-Helaire, per source

Related players: Alvin Kamara, Kendre Miller, Devin Neal

On Monday, the Saints released Cam Akers and with the release of CEH today it leaves Kamara, Miller and Neal as their top three backs.

Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans declined to give an update on running back Joe Mixon’s status at a press conference on Monday, but the Texans provided one a little later in the day.

Mixon was placed on the non-football injury list at the start of training camp and the team announced that he will be placed on the reserve version of the list at the cut to 53 players on Tuesday. The move will make Mixon unable to play in the first four games of the season.

Related players: Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce, Woody Marks, Dare Ogunbowale

Mixon injured his foot while he was away from the team ahead of camp, the story went on to say. Chubb is in line to be the starting running back in Week 1, but he didn't look great last year and was likely still recovering from his knee injury. However a hot start could make it tough for Mixon to get his job back, the story speculated. Those who follow the team feel Chubb, Pierce, Marks and Ogunbowale will all make the team if Mixon has to miss time.

The New Orleans Saints released veteran running back Cam Akers, the Saints announced Monday.

Related players: Alvin Kamara, Kendre Miller, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Devin Neal

This news is really about who is still remaining to possibly claim the RB2 spot behind Kamara. Miller and veteran Edwards-Helaire still remain as does the rookie Neal, who has been dealing with a hamstring injury this summer. Miller is just 23-years-old while CEH is 26, and it's looking like it could be one of the two with Neal likely behind. The RB2 will also steal some carries as well, so this is a situation to monitor if you own, or plan to own, Kamara on your fantasy roster.

Joe Mixon suffered a non-football injury that hasn't been disclosed, but Aaron Wilson who follows the team, says he has had a tough and complicated recovery.

Related players: Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce, Woody Marks, Dare Ogunbowale

There is no structural damages but Mixon has dealt with shots and breaking up scare tissue. Wilson added the team wouldn't have to pay Mixon because it was a non-football injury, but likely won't go down that road and cause issues. Wilson said there should be clarity soon, but Mixon doesn't seem to be ready in his opinion. Wilson thinks Mixon will likely start on the non-football injury list.

Trade! The Chiefs send Skyy Moore to the 49ers. The teams will swap sixth- and seventh-round picks in 2027.

Related Players: Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown, Rashee Rice, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Jalen Royals, Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings, Jordan Watkins, Demarcus Robinson, Brandon Aiyuk

Both of these teams are dealing with wide receiver issues/injuries, so maybe this points toward good news for Worthy and Brown, who have been dinged up this summer, and/or Rice receiving a shorter suspension than initially thought.

Moore will benefit a 49ers room that is dealing with bad injury luck themselves, including Jennings' calf, Watkins' ankle, and Robinson's three-game suspension. Moore can be left on waiver wires in all but the deepest Dynasty leagues.

This is why the Texans felt it was necessary to go out and get Nick Chubb in free agency. Chubb will likely serve as the lead back until Joe Mixon returns, whenever that may be.

Related Players: Dameon Pierce, Woody Marks

Pierce saw a lowly 16.4% of the team's snap share in 2024, and Marks is a Day 2 rookie, so this makes sense. With that said, Marks still makes a very interesting late-round dart throw, as Chubb has dealt with his own major injury in the recent past and it's clear the coaching staff doesn't think too highly of Pierce.

The last I reported was that Joe Mixon would miss the entire preseason and maybe longer. What I would say is no one has expressed major concern to me about him being out for the entire season. There has been caution about him returning in Week 1. So I do think it’s possible he could begin the regular season on the physically unable to perform/reserve list, in which case he’d miss the first four games.

He hasn’t been seen out at practice, nor has he worked off to the side, which would indicate he’s not two to three weeks away from returning from the foot or ankle injury he suffered off the field this past offseason.

Related Players: Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce, Woody Marks

The foot/ankle injury was enough of a worry for the team to go out and get Chubb, and it doesn't seem like there has been any change in the following weeks/months. Mixon should be avoided until we get clarity on the matter, but any further dings to his efficiency would make him a stay-away anyways.

Chiefs WR Rashee Rice is expected to have his disciplinary hearing with the NFL on Tuesday, Sept 30 in New York. This means that Rice now is likely to be able to play the first four weeks of this season before any potential discipline is imposed for his role in a multi-car crash in Dallas during the 2024 offseason.

Related Players: Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown, Skyy Moore, Jalen Royals, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Travis Kelce

This is actually pretty miserable timing, as it means a potential suspension could be pushing up against the fantasy playoffs. Regardless, fantasy managers will get the Chiefs WR1 for the first four games of the season, and the suspension could be anywhere from 4-8 games. It'd be nice to have that information as we head into the season, but we'll have to roll with the punches following the hearing.

The reason why Rashee Rice didn't practice today -- which was mostly held indoors & without fans -- is because he has a groin injury, per the team.

Related Players: Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown, Skyy Moore, Jalen Royals, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Travis Kelce

This seems to be a new injury and adds to Worthy (concussion protocol) and Brown (ankle) receiving their own bruises in practices over the last week or so. There are no further updates to Rice's injury at the time, so we won't speculate further until we receive more information.