Walking off the practice fields behind Arrowhead Stadium on Friday, the hope around the facility was that an extra week of rest had finally given the Kansas City Chiefs a clean bill of health. Instead, when head coach Andy Reid took to the podium for his final media availability of the week, he revealed that the team won’t have two of its offensive pieces on the field for their Week 6 divisional battle against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Before opening the floor to questions from reporters, Coach Reid led directly with the final game designations for Week 6: wide receiver Rashee Rice and left tackle Josh Simmons won’t be suiting up.

“As far as the injuries go, Rashee Rice is out for this game, and then Josh Simmons will be out for this game also, but has been out, and getting better as we go here,” Coach Reid told the reporters. “Look forward to the challenge of playing the Chargers again. We know they’re a good football team and our guys have prepared themselves that way this week.”

Rice’s injury occurred on the road during Kansas City’s 30-27 win over the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium in Week 4. On a first-and-10 snap during the Chiefs’ second offensive possession, Patrick Mahomes hit Rice on a short pass over the middle. Rice hauled in the throw, turned upfield to gain yards, and suddenly pulled up limp while reaching for the back of his right leg. He walked directly toward the sideline medical tent with trainers and was ruled out shortly afterward with a hamstring strain.

The setback interrupts what had been Rice’s sharpest start to a season. Through the first four weeks, he remained the third-best target for Patrick Mahomes with 13 receptions for 190 yards and a score, behind Travis Kelce and Tyquan Thornton. But missing time has now become a recurring theme in Rice’s career, following injuries in 2024, a six-game suspension in 2025, followed by a late season injured reserve stint, and offseason cleanup surgery on his knee.

While reporters did see Rice doing light work on the side in sweats during the viewing sessions at the facility this week, he didn’t participate in practice through all three training sessions. But in his presser, Coach Reid pointed to the receiver’s recovery track record as the reason they kept him on the 53-man roster rather than placing him on injured reserve.

“Yeah, I mean you guys saw him out there,” Coach Reid said. “He’s out there and wanting to jump in on everything, and he’ll be all right. You never know about these (hamstring) – but he’s a fast healer.”

Rice’s absence comes alongside significant turnover across the rest of the depth chart. Tyquan Thornton suffered a dislocated left ankle during that same Week 4 matchup, and ended up joining Jimmy Holiday and Jeff Caldwell on the injured reserve list. That left Mahomes working with Xavier Worthy, Jalen Royals, Nikko Remigio, and rookie Cyrus Allen on Sunday. Since then, the Chiefs have also brought back Justin Watson to their practice squad, and could be a game-day elevation if Andy Reid needs further options at receiver depth to move the chains.

To that end, the head coach also addressed the younger wide receiver rotation and their chemistry with Patrick Mahomes heading into Sunday’s game.

“Yeah, I mean they’re excited to get in if they have that chance, and I think they’ll do a good job,” Reid said. “You know, Pat’s got a good relationship with those guys, and that’s important. He has some trust there too, so that’s important.”

Meanwhile, across the locker room, Josh Simmons’ return took a tangible step on the practice fields this week. Things aren’t looking so great for the Chargers, though.

Josh Simmons’ update and the Chargers’ injuries

The 2025 first-round pick played just eight games as a rookie last season before breaking his wrist, and missing some time earlier due to personal reasons. His 2026 campaign was put on hold in mid-August when Coach Reid confirmed he was dealing with a bulging disc in his lower back. But things are looking up at last.

Simmons put his helmet back on Wednesday for the first time in two months, participating in individual position work while watching 11-on-11 team periods from the sideline. While he was a limited participant the entire week, in his presser, Big Red explained the coaching staff’s gradual ramp-up plan for the left tackle.

“Yeah, he got some work in,” Reid said. “He didn’t work in team periods, but that was the idea though that we went out with, just so we could get some base under him with some fundamentals and technique, and start getting that back.”

Coach Reid also noted that just getting Simmons back on the field in pads gave the tackle a visible boost after spending the last eight weeks confined to meeting rooms and rehab tables.

“Yeah, he was, he was excited to be out there,” he said. “Just be back with the guys and on the field instead of the meeting room.”

In addition to Rice and Simmons, cornerback L’Jarius Sneed (knee) is the only other name on the injury report. With limited participation all week, Sneed is now listed as ‘Questionable’ for Sunday. But while the Chiefs have to work around absences at receiver and tackle (and potentially cornerback), the official injury report heading into Sunday heavily favors Kansas City when looking across the visiting sideline.

Jim Harbaugh’s winless Chargers ruled out five players on Friday: offensive tackle Joe Alt (neck), guard Kayode Awosika (fibula), wide receiver Tre’ Harris (hamstring), cornerback Donte Jackson (hamstring), and safety Derwin James Jr. (hamstring), with defensive back Rodney Shelley listed as doubtful.

Beyond this, Los Angeles also carries significant uncertainty across its roster. Interior lineman Dalvin Thomlinson (hamstring), edge rusher Bud Dupree (neck), linebacker Daiyan Henley (knee), and defensive tackle Jamaree Caldwell (knee) were all listed as questionable after being limited participants throughout the practice week.

This injury report gives Kansas City a distinct physical advantage in the trenches. With Alt and Awosika sidelined, the Chargers will be forced to shuffle their pass protection against Chiefs’ Chris Jones and George Karlaftis, who generated consistent pressure against Las Vegas before the bye.

Keeping both Rashee Rice and Josh Simmons on the 53-man roster leaves the door open for both players to suit up for Week 7’s road game against the Seattle Seahawks. But on Sunday at Arrowhead, the Chiefs have the roster depth and the matchup advantage up front to absorb their own absences, and edge out their divisional opponents.