Rashee Rice, Travis Kelce become Patrick Mahomes' clear-cut favorite weapons in Chiefs win over Dolphins

Dan Treacy

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Rashee Rice, Travis Kelce become Patrick Mahomes' clear-cut favorite weapons in Chiefs win over Dolphins image

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes opened the season by targeting a whopping 12 different receivers against the Lions in September. Noah Gray and Kadarius Toney led the team in targets with Travis Kelce out, and 11 different players recorded a catch in the loss.

Plenty can change in four months. After an arduous season for the Chiefs' offense, it appears Mahomes has finally figured out which receivers he can trust. The list isn't very long.

Rashee Rice and Travis Kelce soaked up a majority of Mahomes' targets in Saturday night's wild-card win over the Dolphins, as the two-time MVP went away from spreading the ball around and instead focused on the two pass-catchers who have been getting it done all season long.

The results were strong. While the Chiefs dealt with red zone struggles, they still rolled past Miami in frigid conditions to reach the divisional round for the sixth consecutive season. Whether it's the Bills or Texans who have to prepare for Kansas City's offense, expect Rice and Kelce to be the defense's top priorities in the week ahead.

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Here's a look at what Rice and Kelce were able to do against Miami's depleted defense.

Rashee Rice stats vs. Dolphins

Rice has gradually emerged as the Chiefs' No. 1 wide receiver in his rookie season, averaging 9.3 targets per game over his final six regular season contests. Kansas City stuck with what was working in its playoff opener, as Rice was targeted 12 times as the focal point of the passing game.

Rice racked up 130 yards and a touchdown on eight catches in the freezing temperatures, slicing up the Dolphins' defense as the most productive pass-catcher on the field between the two teams. Rice's 130 yards set a franchise playoff record by a rookie, and his performance put the rest of the AFC on notice.

There was a brief moment of concern for the Chiefs' offense when Rice appeared to be in pain after a catch in the third quarter, but he was able to return to the game and continue making an impact. Rice told NBC after the game that he only tweaked his ankle. 

Mahomes has searched far and wide for a reliable receiver to go along with Kelce all season, and it certainly seems he's found one for the playoffs and beyond in Rice.

MORE: Why the NFL pushed back Steelers-Bills, not Dolphins-Chiefs

Travis Kelce stats vs. Dolphins

Kelce was less steady than Rice in his latest playoff win, but Mahomes still appeared to put his full trust in the 34-year-old tight end.

With the weather conditions potentially playing a role, Kelce battled several early drops — three total — including one at the line of scrimmage with no defender nearby. They were uncharacteristic moments for the future Hall of Famer, even in a season that hasn't exactly lived up to sky-high expectations.

When he did catch the ball, however, Kelce was difficult to slow down. He racked up 71 yards on seven catches, receiving 10 targets from Mahomes in the win. Kelce's biggest highlight came when he appeared to be tackled short of the first down early in the third quarter, only to get right back up and move the sticks in a heads-up move to stay on his feet.

Rice and Kelce combined for 22 targets on 41 pass attempts by Mahomes, accounting for just under 54 percent of total targets. No other Chiefs pass-catcher even approached the usage of Rice and Kelce. Mecole Hardman was next with three targets, while three players earned two targets.

After Mahomes spread the ball more than just about any other quarterback at the start of the season, it's clear he's zeroed in on his two trustworthy weapons with the Chiefs' season now on the line each week.

Expect Rice and Kelce to continue to get a bulk of the targets as long as the Chiefs stay alive in the 2024 NFL playoffs.

Dan Treacy

Dan Treacy Photo

Dan Treacy is a content producer for Sporting News, joining in 2022 after graduating from Boston University. He founded @allsportsnews on Instagram in 2012 and has written for Lineups and Yardbarker.