Which Chiefs Wide Receiver Will Step Up in Training Camp?

The Chiefs' top three wide receivers are set, but the rest of the players down the depth chart will have plenty of opportunities to earn a spot in the rotation.

Jul 22, 2025; St. Joseph, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Jalen Royals (11) walks down the hill to the practice fields during training camp at Missouri Western State University. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There shouldn't be much doubt about who the Kansas City Chiefs' top three wide receivers will be for the 2026 season. Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton are clearly set as the team's starting trio.

After that, however, the depth of the wide receiver room could provide some of the most compelling battles of training camp.

Why does the Chiefs' receiver depth matter?

Very few NFL teams have four high-end receivers, but every team needs trustworthy, rotational pieces. The 2025 season challenged the Chiefs' receiver depth in a variety of ways.

Rice began the season suspended and ended it injured. Worthy was hurt on the third offensive snap of the year and returned in Week 4, playing through his ailments the rest of the year. Thornton played in the first 14 games of the season before suffering a concussion in December that ended his campaign prematurely.

Veteran receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster played in all 17 games, while Marquise "Hollywood" Brown appeared in 16.

By the end of the year, five receivers had played at least 33% of the team's offensive snaps: Worthy (58%), Smith-Schuster (56%), Brown (50%), Rice (37%), and Thornton (33%).

The Chiefs are certainly hoping for significantly more availability from Rice and appear likely to put Thornton on the field much more consistently, but at least one receiver outside of the core three will have to play some meaningful snaps in 2026.

Who could win the Chiefs' No. 4 wide receiver job?

The opportunity is there, but the list of likely candidates is short.

Jalen Royals

Second-year fourth-round pick Jalen Royals saw the field sparingly in his rookie season, playing 86 total offensive snaps, with 43 coming in the team's season finale. Royals caught two passes for four yards in that game—his only two catches of the year—one thrown by third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun and one from fourth-stringer Shane Buechele.

Cyrus Allen

The Chiefs drafted Cyrus Allen out of Cincinnati in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but it's hard to project expectations for a day-three rookie receiver, particularly after Royals' meager usage. Allen's long-term standing in the room seems solid, but would he be ready to play significant snaps in the first quarter of the season if his number is called?

Nikko Remigio

Nikko Remigio has been a trusted returner for special teams coordinator Dave Toub, but that hasn't translated to offensive success. Remigio played just 31 offensive snaps in 2025, and he's caught only three passes in the NFL, with one from Patrick Mahomes in Week 2 last year and two from Carson Wentz in Week 18 of the 2024 season.

Jason Brownlee remains on the Chiefs' 2026 roster after playing 26 snaps in '25, while a few other unknowns (such as undrafted free agent rookie Jeff Caldwell) round out the roster.

Allen or Royals would be the best-case winners of the No. 4 and 5 receiver jobs, giving the Chiefs some confidence in their recent duo of drafted pass catchers. Remigio has the most experience in the offense, but that hasn't earned him significant playing time yet.

Even if the Chiefs get healthy, productive seasons out of their top three receivers, their next group of WRs can begin making their case for a larger role when they arrive at training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.