Chiefs sensation is outperforming Tyreek Hill in some areas this season

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It’s been over two years since one of the most infamous and, for some, head-scratching trades in Kansas City Chiefs history took place.

Dealing away a game-changer like Tyreek Hill was rather puzzling when the news hit the airwaves in March 2021.

Hill had just come off a team-leading 111 receptions for 1,239 yards when the Chiefs decided to part ways with the speedster.

Since moving to the Miami Dolphins, Tyreek has taken his game to another level we never saw in KC, posting back-to-back seasons of over 1,700 yards receiving, leading the league in that department in 2023 (1,799).

Even though the Chiefs got numerous draft picks as part of the deal, looking at the numbers, many would say the Dolphins won that trade.

The argument in Chiefs Kingdom, though, will be that they still won the Super Bowl without him last season.

If you only examine this season’s offensive numbers you can argue that the Dolphins got the better end of the trade.

However, one of those draft picks that came to KC showed this season that he might be able to fill the void left by Tyreek in the coming years.

Rice VS Hill

Being a second-round selection in the 2023 draft for the top offensive unit in the NFL and reigning Super Bowl champions, Rashee Rice had plenty to prove.

Rice was one of the draft choices KC made in the Tyreek Hill trade, and the rookie put together a stellar rookie campaign.

While he had his share of drops, Rice caught 79 passes from Patrick Mahomes for 938 yards and seven touchdowns.

Statistically that’s better than Hill’s rookie campaign in KC.

In 2016, Hill made 61 catches for 593 yards and six touchdowns.

Hill only had 83 targets that season, perhaps because of Travis Kelce, yet Rice had 102 targets despite also playing second fiddle to Kelce.

Throughout his career, Hill’s been a beast in chunk plays, turning short slant passes into 30+ yard gains.

However, we didn’t see as many of those in 2016.

During his rookie campaign, Hill had a 9.7-yard average per catch, while Rice had an 11.9-yard average this season.

Hill’s longest receiving play in 2016 was 49 yards, with Rice’s best in 2023 going for 67.

Per ESPN, Hill had eight big plays over his rookie campaign, which Rice bested with 10.

In the 2023 campaign, Rice led KC in receiving yards after the catch with 654.

That’s far greater than Hill’s 2016 numbers (269), with Rice also slightly outdoing Tyreek’s YAC yards from this season (652).

It’s been only one season, but Rice is off to a good start in filling Hill’s void.

Saturday’s playoff game won’t determine who ultimately won the Hill trade, but both players should be highly motivated to outduel the other.