After the first half of the 2023 NFL season, Kansas City Chiefs fans crave more Rashee Rice. 

He's been one of the brightest spots in an offense that has largely struggled during the first half of the season. The second-round draft pick received the top grade on our midseason rookie report card after posting 32 receptions on 41 targets for 378 yards and four touchdowns in the early goings of 2023. 

Rice has earned an increased number of opportunities on offense with his performance each passing week. While he was only targeted twice in Week 9 against the Miami Dolphins, something that Rice said after the game caught my attention. 

Improvising and option routes

On Rice's second and final reception of the evening — a six-yard reception on third down in the second quarter — Rice told reporters following the game that it's, "not necessarily the intended route." 

No, that doesn't mean he ran the wrong route. It means that he's become more entrusted by the offensive coaching staff and Patrick Mahomes with his route tree. As he explained after the game, he had multiple options on his particular route. 

"I have options to sit it down, go inside, or go outside," Rice said. "I kind of took a wide step to basically let the defense declare so I could know if it was man or zone defense. When I realized it was man defense, I just kind of raced to the sideline knowing that [quarterback] Pat [Mahomes] will get the ball to me."

This is the type of growth that you want to see from your rookie wide receiver during the course of the season. Before you know it, he's not going to just be operating within the scheme, but improvising as Travis Kelce does on a given play.

Comfort level and confidence are growing

After his 4-of-4 for 72-yard performance against the Denver Broncos four weeks ago, fans became increasingly restless regarded Rice's role. They wanted to see him as the No. 2 guy in the offense, and stat. 

Speaking to reporters after Sunday's game in Germany, Rice hinted at why it has been more of a slow burn. 

"Yeah, I feel like their confidence (in me) is growing," Rice said. "It doesn't happen overnight. It's not only for the coaches, it's up to me in practice for all players, even on the defensive side, just to have confidence in me having the ball in my hands. I know when the ball is in my hands, I need to get north and south and make the play."

Trust is a bit of a two-way street, but so long as Rice continues to maximize his opportunities, he'll get more and more of them. He probably needed more of them in the second half of Week 9's game, but what he accomplished with just two targets is exactly the kind of things that will earn him more chances down the road.

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