4 fantasy wide receivers to target after Rashee Rice's 6-game suspension

Rashee Rice won't suit up for the Kansas City Chiefs until Week 7 this fall. That's brutal news for Patrick Mahomes -- and for fantasy teams across the world.

While Rice's six-game suspension for reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident loomed over the season, it was unclear how long he'd be disciplined for breaking the law and putting others in danger. The league came down with a penalty that will keep him off the field more than a third of the season. The timing for fantasy managers is tricky; many leagues have already completed their drafts eight days before the 2025 NFL regular season starts. So what now?

If you've already got Rice on your team, the pickings among free agents is probably slim. Let's take a look at a handful of players who are less than 20 percent owned in Yahoo! leagues and see if we can't find a low profile replacement for Rice's PPR majesty.

Demario Douglas, New England Patriots (16 percent owned)

"Pop" may be the closest fantasy analog available to Rice -- a wideout who spends plenty of time in the slot and gets a solid number of targets close to the line of scrimmage. Rice's average catch distance in two seasons in the league? 3.8 yards downfield. Douglas? 4.2.

Rice has been more productive thanks to more targets, greater room to run and a significantly better quarterback. While Drake Maye is no one's Patrick Mahomes (maybe he'll get there! It's early!), he flashed signs of pretty-goodness with Douglas as his top target. Now Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins and rookie Kyle Williams are around to stretch the field and give Douglas more room to operate. The end result may not be stunning yardage, but a deluge of targets to boost his PPR appeal.

Isaac TeSlaa, Detroit Lions (three percent owned)

Detroit traded away Tim Patrick, in part, due to TeSlaa's quick adjustment to the NFL. While he wasn't a consistent threat after moving from Division II Hillsdale to Arkansas, he had the tools to be an impact player at the highest levels. At 6-foot-4 with 4.43-second 40 speed, he's a straight line burner built like the possession receiver the Lions lack with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams atop their depth charter.

TeSlaa is WR3, and while he'll have to contend with Sam LaPorta and a new offensive coordinator in place of Ben Johnson, he should have plenty of opportunity to contribute. He thrived when given a chance this preseason; the rookie had 10 catches and 146 yards on 13 targets. More importantly, nine of those 10 catches ended with either touchdowns (three) or first downs (six).

Jalen Coker, Carolina Panthers (two percent owned)

Coker's return to the lineup -- and a solid return in the deal -- made it easier for Carolina to let go of Adam Thielen this preseason. Though his rookie campaign was muted by the climb up from undrafted free agent status and a late-season injury, he still managed to shine. He had four catches for 68 yards in his first extended NFL action and notched his first 100-yard game in a Week 15 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

Despite a relatively small sample size, Coker's 1.98 yards per route run (YPRR) ranked 45th out of 141 receivers to run at least 100 routes. Though he had a low key preseason -- two catches, 17 yards -- he still stands as an important piece in Bryce Young's ongoing revival. No player on the Panthers had a higher passer rating when targeted than Coker's 108.8 last fall, and head coach Dave Canales will use that efficiency to continue rebuilding his tarnished former No. 1 overall draft pick.

Tory Horton, Seattle Seahawks (two percent owned)

The Seahawks parted ways with Marques Valdez-Scantling on cut-down day, signaling Horton's place as the team's most likely deep threat. It's a job he's more than capable of handling. The Colorado State star slipped to the fifth round of this year's draft thanks at least partially due to the injury that kept him out of the second half of the season last fall. His numbers in the 2.5 years before that? 193 catches, 2,620 yards and 17 touchdowns -- or roughly 6.4 catches, 87 yards and half a touchdown per game.

He has the tools to be more than just a prolific Mountain West wideout. At 6-foot-2 and with 4.41-second 40 speed, he's got the size and quickness to create space downfield and give opposing safeties something about which to worry. He had a ton of targets in the preseason, showcasing Seattle's interest and his ability on one fell swoop. He's WR3 on the depth chart behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba and a 32-year-old Cooper Kupp, but his downfield ability could maximize his output even if he's third on Sam Darnold's wishlist.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: 4 fantasy wide receivers to target after Rashee Rice's 6-game suspension