The Kansas City Chiefs are set to kick off training camp in less than a month, 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
Jason Brownlee
A "Reserve/Future" signee last offseason, Brownlee was a standout throughout the training camp and preseason, ultimately earning a spot on the Chiefs' initial 53-man roster in August. He went on to appear in six games for Kansas City last season, logging 26 offensive snaps (without a catch) and 21 special teams' snaps.
Before joining the Chiefs, 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.
Jimmy Holiday
A great story from last summer, Holiday – who went undrafted – was one of three rookie tryout players who earned a contract with Kansas City at last year's Rookie Minicamp.
He went on to catch three passes for 60 yards during the preseason, and while Holiday was waived as part of final roster cuts, he returned to the practice squad in mid-December and recorded one snap in the Chiefs' season finale at Las Vegas.
Prior to joining the Chiefs, Holiday recorded 658 all-purpose yards and six total touchdowns while at Louisiana Tech in 2024.
Nikko Remigio
The Chiefs' primary kick and punt returner in 2025, Remigio emerged from his humble beginnings as an undrafted free agent in 2023 to appear in 14 games last season.
He handled 25 punts (averaging 7.6 yards) and 29 kickoffs (averaging 25.6 yards) last year, ranking 14th in total return yards (932) across the NFL.
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 enters his fourth season in Kansas City after catching 53 passes for 571 yards and five touchdowns in eight games last season. Notably, from Week 7 through Week 15, Rice ranked in the top 10 in catches (5th) and receiving touchdowns (9th) among all pass-catchers.
The former second-round pick has appeared in just 12 games over the last two seasons after ranking second among all rookies in receiving yards in 2023, but when he's been on the field, Rice has been Kansas City's most productive wide receiver.
Now entering the 2026 campaign, he'll have an opportunity to resume his duties as one of the Chiefs' top receiving options.
Jalen Royals
A fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Royals impressed throughout the offseason and training camp last year until a knee injury hindered his usage throughout the campaign.
He went on to catch just two passes in seven games as a rookie, but now healthy – and following another impressive offseason – Royals appears to be in line for a strong sophomore season.
Keep in mind, it was only two years ago that Royals averaged 119.1 receiving yards-per-game at Utah State.
Tyquan Thornton
A major positive in a year devoid of much good news, Thornton compiled a breakout season in 2025 with 19 catches for 438 yards and three touchdowns. Specifically, he routinely seemed to come up with a big catch when the Chiefs needed it most, doing so against the Giants, Eagles, Jaguars and Broncos, to name a few instances. His eight receptions of at least 25 yards led the team.
Originally a second-round pick of the New England Patriots in 2022, Thornton joined the Chiefs' practice squad late in the 2024 campaign before earning a spot on Kansas City's 53-man roster following training camp last year. Thornton went on to make the most of his opportunity, and now with a new contract in-hand, he'll aim to pick right back up where he left off.
Xavier Worthy
Worthy appeared in 14 games last season despite battling multiple injuries throughout the year, including a shoulder injury suffered on just the third snap of the season. The second-year speedster still managed to tally 42 catches for 532 yards and a touchdown amidst those limitations, however, and now on the mend, he'll have an opportunity to build on his immense potential in 2026.
Additionally, for what it's worth, the 23-year-old Worthy was among the Chiefs' most productive players throughout the offseason training program.
Veteran Free Agents
Andrew Armstrong
Armstrong joined the Chiefs as a "Reserve/Future" signee back in January.
The 6-foot-4, 204-pound Armstrong went undrafted in 2025 after leading the SEC in receiving yards (1,140) at Arkansas in 2024, marking the second-best single season in terms of yards and catches (78) in school history. It was a strong follow-up to Armstrong's initial campaign with the Razorbacks a season prior, which included 56 grabs for 764 yards and five touchdowns.
That overall performance put a bow on an impressive career that began at Texas A&M-Commerce, a Division II school, where Armstrong tallied 77 catches for 1,317 yards and 16 touchdowns between the 2021 and 2022 campaigns.
Draft Picks
Cyrus Allen
The No. 176 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Allen made the most of his lone season at the University of Cincinnati, leading the Bearcats in catches (51) and receiving yards (674) while ranking third in the FBS (and first in the Big 12) with 13 touchdown grabs.
Primarily a slot receiver during his time at Cincinnati, the 5-foot-11, 183-pound Allen demonstrated an ability to win with multiple route concepts against various coverages in 2025. Here's more from The Athletic's Dane Brugler:
"Despite his lack of size, he shows outstanding body control to adjust and frame the football mid-air, and his drops declined each season."
Allen's advanced metrics back that up, too. Here's a look at his separation data vs. both man and zone coverages last season:
That ability appeared to carry over to the Chiefs' offseason training program as well. Allen was a standout throughout the spring with multiple receptions during each of the practice sessions open to the media.
Undrafted Free Agent Signees
Jeff Caldwell
An intriguing prospect who stands at 6-foot-5 and 216 pounds, Caldwell put on an athletic show at the NFL Scouting Combine, logging the top 10-yard split (1.48), the second-best vertical jump (42 inches), the second-best broad jump (11 feet, 2 inches) and the fourth-best 40-yard dash (4.31) among all wide receivers at the event.
That performance helped Caldwell to post a ridiculous perfect "Relative Athletic Score" of 10.00.
It was a coming out party for Caldwell, who spent four seasons at Lindenwood before wrapping up his collegiate career at Cincinnati in 2025, where he caught 32 passes for 478 yards and six touchdowns.
Here's more from The Athletic's Dane Brugler:
"A "Freaks List" alum and combine darling, Caldwell builds up his speed quickly and strides out to create vertical separation. He is light-footed with natural flexibility at the top of routes and the catch point…He offers rare length and speed, meaning he potentially could grow into a downfield threat. He will require a patient coaching staff that's willing to invest in his raw talent."
The folks at Sports Illustrated also listed Caldwell as one of the top undrafted free agent signings this year, citing his athletic profile.
Jacob De Jesus
A versatile playmaker at Cal last season, De Jesus' 108 receptions in 2025 ranked second in the FBS while his 1,645 all-purpose yards ranked eighth. The 5-foot-6, 174-pound pass-catcher began his career at Modesto Junior College (2021-22) before transferring to UNLV ahead of the 2023 campaign, where he became the only player in the FBS to rank in the top-15 in both kick return (13th) and punt return (3rd) average.
De Jesus then chose to wrap up his career at Cal, earning All-ACC honors as an all-purpose and specialist selection after ranking seventh in the FBS with 622 total return yards.
A standout during the offseason training program, De Jesus will be a player to watch when the Chiefs head to St. Joseph.
Omari Evans
The 6-foot-tall, 190-pound Evans is bringing his blazing speed to Kansas City after he ran a 4.28 40-yard dash at Washington's pro day earlier this year. That number, for reference, would have been the fastest of any player at the NFL Scouting Combine. Evans also recorded a 41-inch vertical jump at the event, which would have ranked fifth at the Combine among receivers.
Evans spent three seasons at Penn State, where he caught 30 passes for 564 yards (averaging 18.8 yards-per-reception) and seven touchdowns in 38 games, before wrapping up his collegiate career at Washington in 2025. He tallied 17 catches for 254 yards and a score in 11 games for the Huskies.
Xavier Loyd
A Kansas City native who attended Blue Springs High School, Loyd earned a contract following a successful tryout at Rookie Minicamp earlier this year. He was one of just three tryout players to garner a roster spot of the 76 hopefuls in attendance.
The 6-foot-2, 196-pound Loyd spent time at Kansas State (2021-23) and Illinois State (2024) before wrapping up his career at Missouri in 2025, where he appeared in 13 games.
The Bottom Line
The Chiefs have rostered seven wide receivers for Week 1 in each of the last three seasons, developing a trend that could provide a precedent for what to expect this time around.
So, with that in mind, Rice, Worthy and Thornton all figure to be significant contributors from this group while Royals and Allen will each have an opportunity to carve out a role of their own.
That then leaves potentially two roster spots between the eight remaining receivers currently on the team, setting the stage for some intriguing camp battles over the course of the Chiefs' time in St. Joseph.
Remigio likely has an inside track to one of those spots considering his experience on Kansas City's special teams' unit, but the Chiefs' quartet of undrafted free agent receivers has the potential to be one of the storylines of camp. De Jesus, specifically, has the look of a player who could emerge as a preseason standout if the offseason practices were any indicator.
Armstrong, Brownlee and Holiday all factor into this equation as well, exemplified by the fact that it was just last year that Brownlee seemingly came out of nowhere to make the team following a stellar camp.
It's all to say that the final two spots in this group could go any which direction, and as the Chiefs arrive in St. Joseph – and more importantly, the players don pads for the first time – this picture should begin to work itself out.
