Rashee Rice’s 2025 season sits on a razor’s edge as the NFL weighs a suspension tied to a Dallas crash last year. The league signaled a multi-game penalty, while Rice’s side urged a shorter punishment grounded in precedent. A Sept. 30 hearing could sideline him at the start, but a settlement remains possible to curb long-term absence.

Rice pled guilty to two felonies, receiving five years of probation and 30 days in jail, plus medical-cost restitution of $115,481.91. That deferred probation leaves the case open to dismissal if he completes five years of probation, while a civil suit settled the day before sentencing. He has trained with Kansas City in camp, and the Chiefs emphasize depth and rotation at receiver.

If no settlement is reached, Rice would miss the Chiefs’ first four games—beginning with the opener against the Chargers and the Philadelphia rematch—though coach Andy Reid has stressed a normal practice rhythm, with others stepping in as needed. The discussion mirrors how the NFL handles conduct-policy violations, with higher-profile suspensions like Tucker’s 10-game start to 2025 and Watson’s 11-game sanction serving as national benchmarks. For fantasy managers, the potential early absence shifts value and usage within Kansas City’s pass game, especially among the internal rotation that Rice has been part of this offseason.