The Kansas City Chiefs prioritised defense in this year's draft. The Chiefs' front office chose five defensive players instead of adding new wide receivers in their WR room.

 During an appearance on NFL Network’s 'The Insiders', head coach Andy Reid discusses the current group of receivers with confidence, especially highlighting Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy on May 15 (Friday).

 “So we believe he's going to be on the field for us. That's a positive. And he is a heck of a football player. He's been busting his tail, and we'll see how he does going forward here,” Reid said about Rashee Rice.

Rice has been a productive player for the Chiefs. Last season, he recorded 571 yards and five touchdowns. He also recorded a depth target of 4.9 in eight games, according to PFF. Rice only appeared in eight games due to off-field issues.

"Xavier is another year into it. He's healthy. He hurt his shoulder and his ankle and had all that worked on, and he's back going fast and furious there," Reid continued.

Xavier Worthy's performance had taken a dip last year compared to his rookie season due to injuries. He recorded 59 receptions with 638 receiving yards in 2024 to 42 receptions with 532 yards last year.

Despite believing in their wide receiving core, Reid also added Cincinnati Bearcats' Cyrus Allen in the fifth round this year to add depth in their WR room. Reid also expects Josh Simmons to take on a bigger role for the team, along with WR Jalen Royals.

Chiefs Expect Simmons and Royals to Take On Bigger Roles in 2026

The Kansas City Chiefs are placing strong trust in their young players heading into the 2026 season.

The coaching staff expects Josh Simmons and Jalen Royals to take bigger responsibilities on offense.

According to Heavy, the Chiefs continue relying on their draft development system, something that has played a major role in the team’s success over the years.

Head coach Andy Reid recently expressed his confidence in several young players while discussing the team’s progress during the offseason.

“We've also got a couple of young guys that we feel pretty good about in the mix,” Reid said during his appearance on The Insider.

Kansas City especially expects more growth from Simmons after an injury-riddled rookie season. Reid praised Simmons for handling the left tackle role well, calling him a 'talented kid' and believing the young lineman can take another step forward if he stays healthy.

The Chiefs are also hopeful about the Royals, who missed his rookie year due to a knee injury. Reid talks about Royals’ 'core strength', catching ability, and football intelligence during offseason workouts.

With Kansas City making only limited additions at wide receiver this offseason, the team appears confident that Royals and several younger players can bring fresh energy into the offense around Patrick Mahomes in 2026.

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Written by

Shreya Mishra

Edited by

Rishab Nandi