With the exception of Rashee Rice, the Kansas City Chiefs wide receivers have not been good this year. Skyy Moore and Kadarius Toney appear to be actively sabotaging quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Marquez Valdes-Scantling is a one-trick pony, Justin Watson is nothing more than an athletic journeyman, Richie James only played two snaps against New England, and Justyn Ross just returned from the exempt list. With Moore now on the injured reserve, an already thin group of playmakers just got thinner. Speaking to reporters, head coach Andy Reid talked about how he’s going to adjust the offense and went out of his way to mention one specific receiver.
On paper, it makes sense for Kansas City to effectively replace Skyy Moore with Justyn Ross. After all, both players are inexperienced and not overly reliable but offer athletic upside. However, when specifically asked about Ross’ return, Reid mentioned somebody else as a potential savior to the offense.
“We’ll have to see on Ross just where that goes,” Reid said. “I’ll get with (general manager Brett) Veach today, and we’ll go through all of that. Richie (James) though, has got to play more than two snaps, so that’s my responsibility on that. I didn’t have him in on enough stuff. He’s a good football player though.”
Andy Reid: Chiefs Need To Create A Bigger Role For Richie James
The Right Man For the Job?
Richie James is no superstar, but it makes sense that he might be the next man up on the Kansas City Chiefs depth chart. Outside of Rice and arguably Valdes-Scantling, he’s the only player on the roster with the proven ability to play at an NFL level. Last year with the New York Giants, the wide receiver finished the season with 57 receptions for 569 yards and four touchdowns on 70 targets. While he didn’t play like an All-Pro by any means, he deserves credit for helping Daniel Jones and company make it to the NFC Divisional Round.
Last year, Richie James thrived in large part because somebody needed to catch the ball in an otherwise talentless offense. The 2023 Chiefs have more talent than the 2022 Giants, but it’s still a lackluster group.
With Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice likely to face off against the best players on the opposing defense, Kansas City desperately needs someone who can win the easy matchups and make the opponents respect every option on the field. Quite frankly, Toney and Moore have not been able to do that, so it’s about time somebody else earn that opportunity.
Where Has Richie James Been All Year?
At this point in the season, teams usually have a pretty good idea about who their best players are, so it’s a little worrisome that Kansas City is still trying to figure it out. Richie James began the year as a depth receiver, playing 23 snaps in the season opener while recording just one catch for six yards. However, a Week 2 injury sidelined him until late November, and James has spent the past few weeks trying to re-establish his spot in the offense.
This injury likely played a part in James’ demotion in the offense, but it’s not the only factor. At the end of the day, Toney and Moore both have the potential to be much, much better players than James. However, enough time has gone by to see that neither player will ever live up to that potential, at least in 2022. Even if Moore was healthy, Kansas City would need to give Richie James a chance.
The Kansas City Chiefs have Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Andy Reid, and one of the best defenses in the league. This team should make a deep playoff run as long as the depth receivers aren’t actively losing games. Toney and Moore were sabotaging the Chiefs, and now Richie James has a chance to be the third or fourth option for an all-time great quarterback during the postseason stretch.
Main Photo: Jay Biggerstaff – USA Today Sports
