The Kansas City Chiefs have two weeks remaining in a wasted 2025 campaign. The 6-9 Chiefs were eliminated from postseason contention in Week 15. In Week 16, they embarrassed themselves versus the Tennessee Titans, suffering a blowout 26-9 defeat.
Several star Chiefs players are sidelined for the remainder of the campaign, including quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who suffered a season-ending torn ACL. The Chiefs should take advantage of this opportunity to develop young players like wide receiver Jalen Royals and running back Brashard Smith.
Mahomes isn't the lone recognizable name whose season is over. Leo Chenal, Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Josh Simmons, and Jawaan Taylor are among the 16 Chiefs players on season-ending IR. With nothing left to play for besides 2026 NFL Draft positioning, Andy Reid needs to start giving Royals and Smith more reps.
A lack of playmakers hamstrung the Chiefs' offense throughout 2025. There's value in learning what Royals and Smith can offer Reid moving forward. They could alter how Brett Veach approaches this offseason.
Brashard Smith and Jalen Royals getting a combined ZERO touches honestly feels like trolling at this point. Your current scheme isn’t successful enough to be this complicated. Simplify, streamline. Get the rooks on the field. Practice only says so much. Some players are gamers.…
— Adam Best (@Arrowhead_Adam) December 22, 2025
The Chiefs are fielding the league's 22nd-ranked rushing offense. Kareem Hunt, a 30-year-old pending free agent, leads the backfield in snaps this season. Smith should earn those reps in Weeks 17 and 18.
Smith has 32 carries for 95 yards this season. His pedestrian 3.0 yards per carry is below what Hunt (3.7) and Isiah Pacheco (3.9) have produced. Smith hasn't maximized his few opportunities, but the former SMU standout hasn't played double-digit snaps since Week 12. The seventh-round rookie has also registered 165 receiving yards.
Analysts believed the Chiefs landed a draft-day steal when they selected Royals in the fourth round (No. 133 overall). That belief hasn't translated to tangible results. Despite the Chiefs' lackluster receiver room needing more playmakers, Royals has been a healthy inactive for the majority of his rookie campaign.
Royals played three snaps versus the Titans in Week 16 despite Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton both missing the contest. Xavier Worthy has been nursing a shoulder injury all season and should be shut down. Marquise "Hollywood" Brown and Juju Smith-Schuster are on expiring contracts. Both aging wideouts have made it painfully obvious that they shouldn't be a part of the Chiefs' future plans at receiver.
#Chiefs OC Matt Nagy on rookie 4th round WR Jalen Royals.
— SleeperChiefs (@SleeperChiefsKC) December 18, 2025
“It’s almost like a redshirt year in a way.(continued) I’m excited to see what he’s gonna do, whether it’s these next three games and or the future”#ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/R5CUfysGfm
Not only has Royals failed to record a single reception this season, the former Utah State standout hasn't even been targeted. With so much uncertainty surrounding the future of the Chiefs' receiver position, failing to provide Royals with late-season opportunities in a wasted campaign would be an inexplicable offence.
The Chiefs are currently slated to possess the 12th overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. They could move into the top 10 with Chris Oladokun at quarterback. A pass catcher like Makai Lemon and Kenyon Sadiq will be heavily mocked to the Chiefs throughout the pre-draft process.
The Chiefs require an injection of talented youth. Royals and Smith should be afforded significantly more opportunities in Weeks 17 and 18 than they've previously received this season. Coach Reid and Matt Nagy have sent mixed messages, but failing to play their rookies would qualify as negligible.