The Kansas City Chiefs have an all-out battle at the wide receiver position going on in training camp. The melee includes multiple players fighting for one, maybe two, final roster spots.
Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Marquise Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and rookie Jalen Royals are already locked in. That quintet, when healthy (and not suspended), makes up one of the deepest and most versatile receiving groups in the NFL.
Rice and Worthy give Kansas City a legitimate one-two punch on the perimeter. Rice is a big-bodied possession target who wins after the catch, while Worthy has the speed to torch defenses vertically. Brown stretches the field, Smith-Schuster brings savvy and physicality, and Royals has flashed enough potential to hint at a long-term role.
That top five is strong. The question is what comes after them.
Chiefs Can’t Overlook Nikko Remigio in the WR Rotation
With Rice facing a four-game suspension, Kansas City could keep seven wideouts on the initial 53-man roster—matching last season’s total. That would crack the door open for two of the remaining hopefuls: Tyquan Thornton, Skyy Moore, Jason Brownlee, and Nikko Remigio.
Among that group, Thornton, Moore, and Brownlee have the edge as pass-catchers. They’re bigger names, higher draft picks, or more polished receivers. But if the Chiefs are serious about maximizing every roster spot, they can’t overlook Remigio.
On paper, his offensive production is negligible: two receptions for 48 yards last season. That won’t wow anyone.
Where he makes his case is in the return game. Kansas City hasn’t had a truly steady returner since Mecole Hardman was healthy, and the NFL’s new rules are designed to encourage more kicks being run back. The league moved the touchback line to the 35-yard line, practically begging teams to return kickoffs.
That shift could put someone like Remigio in a prime position to carve out a roster spot.
In 2024, he averaged nearly 27 yards on 11 kickoff returns, ranking 20th among players with at least 10 attempts. Not elite, but reliable. On punts, he was even better, finishing 15th in yards per return (9.4) among qualified returners. In both cases, he provided steady, mistake-free contributions—exactly what Kansas City needs from a depth receiver at the bottom of the chart.
The Chiefs’ top five don’t need extra pass-catching help. They already have multiple guys who can eat targets and stretch defenses. What they do need is someone who fills a niche role that the others don’t. Remigio brings that with his return skills, and that alone might be worth the final roster spot.
Special teams don’t always grab the headlines, but in a league where field position swings games, a reliable return man is a quiet playmaker. Remigio might not turn into a star, but Kansas City would be wise not to give up on him just yet.
