Rashee Rice fantasy football insight from Hayden Winks - PPR Rankings

Rice was the WR5 on WR2 expected points last year while healthy. Unfortunately, his on-field production only matters as much as he's on it. Rice underwent a clean-up procedure for debris in his knee, stemming from his previous knee tear. Deciding to do that in May instead of January is concerning, but it was a reported two-month time frame and he should be ready for training camp. That original timeframe didn't account for doing part of his rehab IN JAIL. Rice lost any trust from me many allegations ago, so at any point, the next shoe can drop. It'd be a surprise if the NFL suspended Rice further because of this probation violation, but they could in theory! The Chiefs also could start dialing back his important of the offense. That could mean a team-based suspension or a slight pivot away from him as a centerpiece. The most likely scenario remains Rice is ready for Week 1 in a nice role, but the complexity of his knee and the risk of the next legal run-in are real enough to apply a 1-2 round discount. Rice is a no-floor upside play somewhere in Round 3 depending on the league settings. He's obviously best in full PPR, where his underneath and YAC skills are showcased. For what it's worth, Rice is not a man-coverage savant, nor has showcased much beyond the occasional crossing route beyond 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. I wouldn't place him this high in "real life" WR rankings.