KC Chiefs Fans Are Now Staring Down a 'Monkey's Paw' Situation at Receiver

Although the cliche says that defense wins championships, the recent versions of the Kansas City Chiefs have been offense-first teams. And while that might not be everyone's cup of tea, it makes sense when you have Andy Reid prowling the sideline and the dynamic duo of Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce in the huddle.

This season, however, has been a bit different.

KC's defense has, on the whole, been shining. The offense, on the other hand, has been consistently inconsistent. The unit lacks a true secondary option beyond Kelce, and the supporting cast hasn't delivered. Rashee Rice has been stepping up down the stretch, but relying on a rookie to be a difference-maker is a risk.

Part of the problem is that multiple members of the receiving corps haven't really delivered. Kadarius Toney's season has been headlined by mistakes. Marquez Valdes-Scantling has barely been involved, and Skyy Moore didn't take the leap forward that fans and the organization alike would have hoped for.

That's led to plenty of frustrated comments wondering if the club would simply be better off without those net negatives within the passing corps. Now Chiefs fans will get the opportunity to see what that's alternate reality is like, since Moore has landed on the injured reserve.

But as the short story The Monkey's Paw, which features wishes being granted with a less-than-desirable twist—like a few hundred pounds arriving as compensation for a death in the family—getting exactly what you wanted isn't always a good idea.

Moore's Lands on IR, Ending His (Regular) Season

When the Chiefs snagged Moore in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft, he seemed like a solid, if unremarkable, player. The small receiver lacked some physical tools, but he was generally viewed as a B-grade prospect and a capable fit for Reid's offense.

On the field, though, things didn't exactly click. As a rookie, he caught 22 passes for 250 yards and didn't really make much of an impact. That reality, however, could be chalked up to growing pains.

In 2023, however, things didn't improve. Despite additional opportunities (remember the lack of a legitimate option beyond Kelce?) Moore didn't step up. Through 14 games of the campaign, he's pulled in 21 passes for 241 yards. He's been seeing the field but, for whatever reason, hasn't garnered significantly more targets or done anything notable with those touches.

Is it down to talent? A lack of a defined role in the offense? Or are the unit's collective struggles affecting him?

At this point, the answer to that is largely irrelevant. On Monday, Moore landed in injured reserve and that will definitely end his regular season; he could return for the playoffs, but his performances so far don't suggest he'll be a major difference maker, even if he's at full health.

Will the Chiefs Be Better or Worse Without Moore?

Given Moore's performances this season, reaction to the announcement that he landed on IR was something of a mixed bag. While plenty of Chiefs fans wished him well, there were others who suspected that his absence was more of a public-relations-minded benching than anything else.

Either way, though, playing without Moore is something those in red, white and gold have been wondering about all season (along with ditching Toney and MVS). But as the classic horror tale The Monkey's Paw reminds us, wishes can sometimes come with downsides.

In this case, consider that Moore's snaps aren't going to magically vanish into thin air. Someone will have to fill that role. And while it's easy to argue that anyone off the practice squad would do a better job than the second-year player, no team will willingly make that move at crunch time.

So, who are the existing options?

Kelce and Rice are givens, based on their performances, but, after that, things get worse. As mentioned above, Valdes-Scantling and Toney haven't covered themselves in glory this season. Giving them more touches probably isn't the answer.

Justin Watson can produce some big plays, but he's also struggled to come up clutch in big moments. Richie James' production from the 2022 season would be welcome, but he's struggled to stay healthy in KC.

It might not be reasonable for him to step right into the fray and make a difference. The same can be said for Justyn Ross, who is yet to live up to his college potential due to injuries and a recent suspension.

Arguably the most natural replacement for Moore is Mecole Hardman, who arrived from the Jets earlier this season but landed on injured reserve. He is a known commodity, but the wideout failed his previous audition as the Chiefs' number-two option after Tyreek Hill left town. There's nothing to suggest that things would be different after a largely lost 2023 season.

There's also the opportunity to give someone like Noah Gray more looks and treat Kelce more as a receiver, but the number two tight end's stats (24 catches for 283 yards) don't exactly scream "game-breaker."

And remember, the main issue this season has been the lack of a genuine threat beyond No. 87. Drops and mistakes have been killers this year, but the larger issue is overall performance. When an offense lacks talent, the team is walking a tightrope. If a few breaks go in the wrong direction, there's not enough firepower to get out of the hole.

And, on the whole, those replacement options don't seem capable of changing that reality. You're still asking largely unproven or ineffective players to step up; they're just someone other than Moore.

Replacing the second-year receiver with a warm body isn't going to force defenses to adjust. Could Hardman or Gray catch a couple of 5-yard out routes? Yes, but that's not going to force a defensive adjustment. Can someone like Ross or James provide a bit of a spark, since they're probably a bit more naturally talented than Moore? Sure, but there's also a risk of more inconsistency. Neither of those options really moves the Chiefs beyond the "dink-and-dunk" offense they've fallen into.

It's one thing to matriculate the ball down the field because defenses are playing shell coverages and taking away the deep ball. It's another to have to check down because there aren't any options who can make the defense pay for keying in on Kelce.

And that's where the Chiefs have been getting bogged down.

Could taking Moore out of the lineup eliminate some drops and other execution errors? Sure, but let's not pretend that Randy Moss is waiting for an opportunity to enter the fray. If there were elite offensive weapons waiting in reserve, we would have seen them by now. There might be some different packages hitting the field, but the Chiefs' offense can't really change at this point of the year.

When you're in the midst of a tough run, it's easy to imagine that any alternative outcome would be better. The same can be said for the Chiefs receiving corps. Surely taking any underperforming player out of the lineup and subbing in a replacement-level player would be an improvement, right?

Well, there's no such thing as an exactly average player. And, in this case, the Chiefs aren't just going to plug a random practice-squad player into the lineup. Moore's replacement, barring anything unforeseen, will come from the offense that has, as a whole, been underperforming this year. And, for all we know, the short-term "solution" could be giving Toney some extra touches on gadget plays and short passes or leaning into Valdes-Scantling's veteran presence when the chips are down.

Sports fans are understandably looking for the magic bullet, whether it's the perfect trade, draft pick or lineup tweak that will take the team to the next level. Often, though, the greatest plans on paper don't pan out.

Selecting Moore, it seems, was one of those. And banking on his absence to be addition by subtraction could be another case of wishful thinking.

The theory, however, will be put to the test starting on Christmas Day, as Kansas City faces the Raiders.