Rashee Rice Will Recover From Knee Surgery In Jail

By Jared Smola | Updated on Wed, May 20 2026 1:24 AM UTC

Chiefs WR Rashee Rice underwent surgery on his right knee a week ago to remove loose debris that was causing inflammation, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. That's the same knee in which Rice tore the LCL in September 2024. This latest procedure is expected to sideline him for two months, according to Schefter. That timeline would have Rice back on the field by mid-July, just before the start of training camp. But his recovery is complicated by the fact that he'll spend the next 30 days in jail after violating the terms of his probation.

2026 Fantasy Football Impact

It's the old jail + surgery double whammy for Rice.

In all seriousness, we can't think of another time that a player was forced to recover from surgery behind bars. It's unclear exactly what level of medical treatment Rice will get over the next 30 days, but this is undoubtedly a net negative for his health.

And that's on top of this latest off-field issue, which could still draw a suspension from the league considering Rice's history.

There's a chance he dodges both bullets and is healthy and eligible to play come Week 1. But Rice's fantasy floor has taken a big hit today.

We're docking one game from his 2026 and lowering his floor projections.

Rankings Movement

Rice falls from WR7 to WR11 in the PPR rankings.

He still boasts big upside with the potential to dominate targets in a Patrick Mahomes-led offense. But he's a high-risk pick inside the first three rounds of fantasy drafts.

We'll see where his ADP moves over the next few days.

Other Winners & Losers

Any missed time or depressed production from Rice could help TE Travis Kelce and WR Xavier Worthy.

Kelce has been an unexciting but undervalued target in drafts all offseason, according to our ADP Market Index.

Worthy is coming off a disappointing second season. But HC Andy Reid said recently that he expects more from a healthy Worthy this year. He's certainly worth a shot at his WR50 ADP.

Jared Smola, Lead Analyst

Jared has been with Draft Sharks since 2007. He’s now Lead Analyst, heading up the preseason and weekly projections that fuel your Draft War Room and in-season tools. He currently ranks ninth among 173 analysts in draft rankings accuracy.