Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp: Rashee Rice Potential Suspension, Travis Kelce Role

Get the latest fantasy football insights from Kansas City Chiefs training camp, including updates on Rashee Rice’s suspension, Isiah Pacheco’s bounce-back potential, and the tight end battle between Travis Kelce and Noah Gray.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) and wide receiver Rashee Rice (4) walk down the hill to the fields prior to training camp at Missouri Western State University. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Chiefs are in training camp, and there are plenty of things to watch for. While quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the constant, many of the pieces around him are in transition. We are hoping this is the year their offense gets back to what it once was for fantasy owners. These are the storylines to watch at Chiefs camp. 

1. Rashee Rice Suspension Looming?

The biggest story coming out of Kansas City and maybe out of the NFL so far this offseason is the surprise Rice sentencing. Now that he has been sentenced for his role in a multi-car accident, a multi-game suspension is expected to be imminent. This is something most experts and analysts weren't projecting to happen until 2026. He is one of the most talented young receivers in the league and looks poised for a breakout 2025 campaign; however, the looming suspension has fantasy owners wary and questioning his fantasy value. There is a chance the suspension varies from anywhere from two to six games. That is a wide potential range of outcomes. 

It's already being reported that Rice has been the standout star on the offense in camp, and he's seen by far the most targets from Mahomes. He's a potential WR1 who could now come with both great risk and great value. All we can do now is wait and see, and hope for the best as the league decides his fate. Xavier Worthy would be the biggest benficiary if Rice misses time.   

Chiefs WR Rashee Rice has been sentenced to five years probation and 30 days of jail time that can be served during those five years "for his role in a multi-car crash in Dallas" during the 2024 offseason, per @AdamSchefter

Rice is "likely to receive a multi-game suspension" pic.twitter.com/zxG2oVG5WN

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 17, 2025

2. Is Isiah Pacheco A Three-Down Workhorse?

Isiah Pacheco was one of the most promising young running backs coming into the 2024 season. He looked the part early on in the season before breaking his leg. When he returned, he never quite looked like himself. Pacheco struggled to get going after returning to action quicker than expected, and ultimately ended up never regaining his volume or efficiency. Now, fantasy owners can't help but shake their most recent memory of him driving down his value in fantasy drafts. Kareem Hunt and rookie Brashard Smith are both viewed as a threat to Pacheco this season. 

Isiah Pacheco nearly hit 1,200 yards, 9 TDs & finished RB15 (PPR) in '23. He started strong in '24 before a fractured fibula cost him 9 games. He struggled post-injury, but with a full offseason to recover, he could bounce back as a weekly starter. @danieltkelley says don’t… pic.twitter.com/qIo0pgPqLg

— FTN Fantasy (@FTNFantasy) July 22, 2025

There is a chance that this ends up being a full-blown committee or that Pacheco has lost a step after breaking his leg; however, there is also a chance that last season was simply a product of him returning from injury too soon, and he is the same back that he was at the beginning of 2024. He could end up being close to a bell-cow back and hold a ton of value. If that does end up being the case we could look back and wonder how we could have possibly been worried about an aging Hunt and a rookie running back.  

3. Travis Kelce Vs. Noah Gray

Now entering his age-36 season, Kelce's fantasy value is at an all-time low after looking like he lost a step or three last season. We may have already seen the beginning of the transition to Noah Gray, who caught more TDs than Kelce last season. It will be interesting to see if Gray sees an even larger role this season after catching 40 passes for 437 yards and five TDs last year, compared to Kelce's receiving line of 97 - 823 - 3.      

Kelce could be in line for a bounce-back season, or he could simply be close to done and winding down his career. Wes should learn a lot by seeing how the two tight ends are being deployed this summer.