The Kansas City Chiefs are set to kick off training camp in just a few weeks, and with the annual trek to St. Joseph nearly here, we're examining every position group on the roster heading into camp.
We'll continue with the wide receiver group, where the Chiefs currently employ 13 players. Let's take a look at each, sorted alphabetically by returning players, veteran free agents, draft picks and rookie free agents.
Returning Players
Marquise "Hollywood" Brown
One of the Chiefs' most significant offseason additions prior to the 2024 campaign, Brown ended up missing the first 14 games of the year due to a sternoclavicular posterior dislocation that he suffered on the first play of the preseason.
It was a tough break for Brown, a former first-round pick who recorded at least 500 receiving yards in each of his first five seasons as a professional.
To his credit, Brown managed to return by Week 16 and played well, catching 14 passes for 141 yards in five games (including the playoffs). His opportunities were limited due to the circumstances, but Brown's impact on the offense was evident.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes said as much following the Chiefs' victory over Pittsburgh in late December.
"You throw Hollywood in there, it kind of sets everybody perfectly in their roles," Mahomes said. "When you have that many weapons out there, it's hard for the defense to account for [everybody]. Hollywood has made a huge impact on this offense."
The Chiefs re-signed Brown following the year, and now healthy, he'll have a chance to pick up where he left off in 2025.
Skyy Moore
The No. 54 overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, Moore enters his fourth season with Kansas City after an injury-shortened campaign in 2024 that limited him to just six games (and without a catch).
In total, Moore has 43 catches for 494 yards and a score in 36 regular-season games with Kansas City, plus a 4-yard touchdown catch in Super Bowl LVII.
Injures have hindered his growth in the offense over the last few years, but for what it's worth, Moore – who appears to be healthy heading into camp – compiled a strong offseason training program.
Nikko Remigio
An undrafted free agent signee in 2023, Remigio – who spent his first season with the Chiefs on Injured Reserve – earned a spot on the practice squad last season before appearing in five games down the stretch.
He was an asset on special teams during that time, too, with 22 total kick and punt returns between Week 13 and the end of the regular season.
Prior to joining Kansas City, Remigio was a four-year contributor (largely as a return man) at the University of California before transferring to Fresno State for the 2022 campaign. He made the most of his fifth year, too, tallying career-bests in receptions (74), receiving yards (852) and receiving touchdowns (6). Remigio was also tied for the FBS lead with two punt return touchdowns.
Rashee Rice
Rice was off to a sizzling start last year through three games with a league-leading 24 catches for 288 yards (which ranked second in the NFL) before a knee injury ended his season early.
It was an unfortunate stroke of luck for Rice, who was one of the Chiefs' top playmakers in 2023 with 79 catches for 938 yards and seven touchdowns. His 44 catches that picked up a first down ranked second on the team behind only tight end Travis Kelce (51), and his 669 yards after-the-catch that season ranked third among all players.
Rice then appeared to be on the verge of a monster season in 2024, but his knee injury ended things before they could really get started. Thankfully, Rice appears to be healthy following a tremendous spring of offseason practices, and nearly a year removed from that injury, he'll have a chance to resume his duties as one of the Chiefs' top pass-catchers.
Justyn Ross
Ross is back with the Chiefs after appearing in 12 games over the last two seasons. He spent the majority of last season on Kansas City's practice squad, appearing in two games between Week 9 and Week 10.
Still just 25 years old, Ross will have an opportunity this offseason to showcase the immense talent he showed during his time at Clemson, where he was one of the best players in all of college football.
JuJu Smith-Schuster
Smith-Schuster, who signed up for his second stint in Kansas City shortly before the season began last year, went on to catch 18 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns in 2024. He also tallied four grabs for 76 yards during the Chiefs' postseason run.
The 28-year-old Smith-Schuster was an important member of a wide receiver room that lost multiple contributors early in the year, and after signing with the Chiefs just days before the season-opener in 2024, he'll now have an opportunity to spend the entire offseason program with Kansas City heading into next year.
Tyquan Thornton
Thornton is back with Kansas City after signing with the Chiefs' practice squad last November. A second-round pick by the New England Patriots in the 2022 NFL Draft, Thornton caught 39 passes for 385 yards and two touchdowns in 28 games for New England over the last three seasons.
Thornton's best trait is his elite vertical speed, as he ran the third-fastest 40-yard dash of any player at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine (4.28 seconds).
Xavier Worthy
The recipient of the "Mack Lee Hill Award" as the Chiefs' top first-year player as voted on by the locker room, Worthy caught 59 passes for 638 yards and scored nine total touchdowns last season.
The Chiefs' first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Worthy stepped up in a big way following the injuries to Hollywood Brown and Rashee Rice. In fact, Worthy ended up trailing only Jaguars' wide receiver Brian Thomas in terms of total touchdowns among all rookies in 2024.
He tallied at least 40 yards from scrimmage in each of his final 10 games last season (including the playoffs), and his 287 receiving yards during the postseason were the second-most by a rookie all-time.
Worthy, whose 4.21-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine last year was the fastest recorded 40-time in the history of the event, will now aim to build on his strong rookie campaign in 2024.
Veteran Free Agents
Jason Brownlee
A "Reserve/Future" signee back in February, the 6-foot-3, 202-pound Brownlee appeared in seven games for the New York Jets in 2023 after making the team as an undrafted free agent that summer. He caught five passes for 56 yards and a touchdown in that time.
Brownlee then spent the 2024 season on the Jets' practice squad and did not appear in a game.
Before jumping to the NFL, Brownlee racked up 135 catches for 2,144 yards and 21 touchdowns in three seasons at Southern Mississippi from 2020-22.
Draft Picks
Jalen Royals
The No. 133 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the six-foot-tall, 205-pound Royals tallied 10 catches of 50+ yards over the last two seasons, marking the most of any player in the FBS. He has good speed, as evidenced by his 4.42-second 40-yard dash, but Royals' ability to make defenders miss is a major component of his game.
For example, he recorded 17 forced missed tackles in 2024 while averaging 7.9 yards after-the-catch. Here's more from Dane Brugler's draft guide, which describes a skillset that will likely fit right in with Head Coach Andy Reid's scheme:
"He has efficient catch-and-go skills to create on slants, bubbles and tunnel screens…He shimmies feet to shake press or make safeties miss once he gets to open field."
Royals, who began his career at Georgia Military College, burst on the scene at Utah State in 2023 with 71 catches for 1,080 yards and 15 touchdowns. He was the only player in the FBS with 70+ catches and 15+ receiving scores.
He was off to a great start last year, too, before a foot injury ended his season early. His 119.1 receiving yards-per-game ranked fourth in the FBS before getting hurt, and now healthy, he'll have a chance to pick up where he left off as a member of the Chiefs.
Undrafted Free Agent Signees
Elijhah Badger
The leading receiver for Arizona State in both 2022 and 2023, Badger transferred to Florida ahead of last season and picked up right where he left off, leading the Gators with 806 receiving yards. He was one of just five FBS receivers to average more than 20 yards-per-reception in 2024, and he didn't record a single drop on 61 targets.
Badger, who checks in at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, also showed off good speed at the NFL Scouting Combine with a 4.43 40-yard dash. Additionally, 82.5% of his receptions last season resulted in either a first down or a touchdown.
Mac Dalena
Dalena, who stands at 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, paid his dues as a special-teamer for much of his career at Fresno State before compiling a breakout season in 2024 with 64 catches for 1,065 yards and eight touchdowns. He was one of just seven FBS receivers with at least five catches of 50+ yards in 2024, and for his career, Dalena was responsible for just four drops on 178 total targets.
His special teams experience, which included 17 tackles and a blocked punt across 605 career snaps, will likely come in handy as he aims to make the Chiefs' roster.
Jimmy Holiday
The Chiefs signed Holiday following a successful tryout at rookie minicamp in May.
Holliday, a 5-foot-11, 199-pound wide receiver from Louisiana Tech, recorded 658 all-purpose yards and six total touchdowns in 2024. He ran a 4.40-second 40-yard dash at his pro day.
The Bottom Line
The Chiefs have rostered seven wide receivers for Week 1 in each of the last two seasons, although it's important to note that Hollywood Brown – while on the active roster for Week 1 last year – was unavailable due to injury.
Regardless, the Chiefs have shown a willingness to keep as many as seven receivers on the roster following camp. So, with that in mind, Brown, Rice and Worthy each figure to be significant contributors from this group, while Royals' talent (and status as a fourth-round pick) likely merits a roster spot. That then leaves between one and three spots for the remaining nine players currently on the roster.
Additionally, aside from the roster math, the health of this unit will be one of the major storylines to watch heading into the season. The Chiefs looked primed for a big year offensively prior to Brown and Rice's injuries, but now healthy, Kansas City will hopefully have a chance to show off the offense it expected to have a year ago.
