Rashee Rice has been placed on injured reserve by Chiefs and will miss at least 4 games

Through the first three games of the season, the Kansas City Chiefs had to be thankful they had Rashee Rice. They didn’t have much else.

Rice had 24 catches for 288 yards and two touchdowns through three games. He had 28 targets. All those numbers made it seem like he would be one of the NFL’s most productive receivers, and a savior for a Chiefs offense that had many more questions at the skill positions.

In other words, Rice’s injury in Week 4 leaves a big void that needs to be filled.

The Chiefs officially placed Rice on injured reserve on Thursday, meaning he will miss at least four games. However, no official diagnosis was made.

Rice was injured trying to make a tackle following a Chiefs interception by the Los Angeles Chargers and was carted off. Head coach Andy Reid said afterwards: “It’s not good.”

The Chiefs’ quest for a third straight Super Bowl is the biggest story in sports, and their path just got a lot tougher after the official news on Rice.

Rashee Rice was injured after a tackle

The injury for Rice was an unfortunate and unfortunate one. Patrick Mahomes threw an interception. Rice followed the play in one direction, Mahomes tried to make a tackle in the other direction and hit Rice’s leg. Everyone knew immediately, by the way Rice’s leg bent back, that it could be a serious injury.

The theme for the Chiefs, especially after last season, is that setbacks don’t really matter. Kansas City had major offensive problems last season and still won a Super Bowl. They’ve gotten a reputation that as long as they have Andy Reid and Mahomes, they’ll still win championships. And that reputation is well deserved.

But the Chiefs offense looked thin before Rice’s injury. Things look a lot worse without a player who was on pace for more than 135 catches and 1,600 yards this season.

The Chiefs offense has some issues

In the Chiefs’ preseason opener, Marquise Brown suffered a shoulder injury. That injury could keep him out for the entire season. Top running back Isiah Pacheco suffered a broken fibula in Week 2 and the timetable for his return is uncertain. Tight end Travis Kelce had a good game on Sunday, but before that he had a very quiet start to the season as he approached his 35th birthday. Additionally, the Chiefs have been shuffling around left tackles in an attempt to find an answer there.

If it was just Rice’s injury it would be a setback, but there would be other depth to make up for it. Instead, Rice’s injury is the biggest blow to a team that has already lost many key pieces before October.

Exciting newcomer Xavier Worthy will likely have to take on a bigger role, as Rice did last season. Receiver Justin Watson could have a big role. Kansas City probably needs something from JuJu Smith-Schuster and Skyy Moore.

It’s the Chiefs and they usually find out well before the playoffs. But Rice’s injury will be a major and unexpected challenge.