NFL fans have been waiting for the other shoe to drop on Rashee Rice’s suspension following his multi-car crash this offseason. We’ve all been wondering when the league would announce it and how many games he’d sit. While ESPN’s Adam Schefter didn’t give us the full picture Thursday, he did share some good news for Chiefs Kingdom – Rice will likely be on the field for Kansas City’s first four games before any punishment kicks in.
ESPN sources: 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… pic.twitter.com/nC37poNfEb
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 14, 2025
This is huge for both the Chiefs and anyone who drafted Rice in fantasy. The team gets their WR1 to start the season, and fantasy managers can count on him for September production at least.
But here’s where it gets tricky. The NFL season is 17 weeks long, and we’re still completely in the dark about when his suspension will actually hit and how many games he’ll miss. For fantasy players, this creates an absolute headache.
Rice’s Uncertain Status Creates Fantasy Nightmare
Sure, having Rice for the first month is nice – but what happens after that? His suspension could drop at any moment, and we have zero clarity on the length. Maybe it’s four weeks starting in Week 5 (annoying but manageable for fantasy). Or maybe – in a worst-case scenario – he gets suspended right as fantasy playoffs start in Week 12.
Nobody knows.
When he’s on the field, Rice projects as a legitimate WR1 with Patrick Mahomes throwing him the ball. That kind of connection makes him an obvious draft target. But fantasy football thrives on certainty, and Rice offers anything but that right now.
Making matters worse? The four games we know he’ll play aren’t exactly dream matchups for a receiver looking to put up monster numbers.
Rice’s Early Schedule Looks Brutal
Here’s what Rice faces to begin 2025:
| Week | Opponent |
|---|---|
| 1 | at Chargers |
| 2 | vs. Eagles |
| 3 | at Giants |
| 4 | vs. Ravens |
He’ll start in Brazil against a Chargers defense that ranked seventh against the pass last year and held KC under 20 points twice. Then comes Philly – who allowed the fewest passing yards in the league last season.
The Week 3 matchup against the Giants might seem favorable until you remember they’ve assembled what might be the NFL’s most fearsome D-line. How will KC’s reshuffled O-line hold up? The Giants were actually eighth-best against the pass last year and could be even stingier in 2025.
Week 4 brings the Ravens – a team that just added shutdown corner Jaire Alexander and rookie standout Malaki Starks to an already loaded secondary.
There’s a very real possibility Rice delivers mediocre numbers through four weeks and then gets suspended immediately after – leaving fantasy managers in a massive hole. I’d never tell you to avoid drafting Mahomes’ top target completely, but you need to know what you’re signing up for if you pull the trigger on Rice this draft season.