The Kansas City Chiefs will need much more from rookie wide receiver Cyrus Allen as the 2026 NFL season rolls on. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes expects to get exactly that.

Allen made his first career catch in Week 6 against the Los Angeles Chargers. He finished with two receptions on two targets for 27 yards, including a 23-yard grab. He also drew a defensive pass interference flag, giving Kansas City valuable field position.

It was a small sample, but it was long overdue for the rookie.

Cyrus Allen has had Patrick Mahomes’ trust since training camp

Leading into the game, word was that Allen had his quarterback’s trust. That much was apparent throughout training camp and the preseason. However, that trust hadn’t translated to production during the regular season because of the players ahead of him on the depth chart.

Week 6 was just the start, and Mahomes believes that. He spoke to reporters Wednesday as the Chiefs opened practice ahead of Week 7 against the Seattle Seahawks. Mahomes said he expects Allen’s comfort level and confidence to keep growing. With that growth will come more opportunities for the rookie to contribute to the offense.

“I thought he did a great job of making contested catches,” Mahomes said of Allen. “Obviously, the one-on-one man coverage on third down didn’t get the first down, but got himself open and almost got it. And then the one down the middle was a big-time catch in between a lot of traffic. And so that stuff we saw from him in training camp, I think now that he’s getting more and more comfortable within the offense, we’ll continue to give him more and more of a role within the offense. But he’s got a lot of talent, and he plays fast, and he plays hard. Now it’s about continuing to give him confidence to go out there and make plays happen. And so I’m sure that we’ll continue to get him more and more involved as the year goes on.”

The Chiefs don’t want to force it. They want it to come naturally. According to Mahomes, that happens as Allen keeps building comfort and confidence and earns those chances.

Injuries will continue to force K.C. to lean on its young receivers

The timing matters here. With wide receiver Tyquan Thornton on injured reserve and fellow wideout Rashee Rice still dealing with a hamstring injury, Kansas City needs all the help it can get from its young pass catchers.

It won’t all fall on Allen. Receivers Jalen Royals and, likely, practice squad WR Andrew Armstrong will also be called upon to make contributions. That applies to the “Sunday Night Football” matchup with Seattle and the rest of the season.

Allen played just nine offensive snaps against the Chargers and ran only a handful of routes. It wasn’t the breakout game fans hoped for. Still, his contributions felt like a glimpse of things to come, and it could be the start of something special.

Why Week 7 vs. the Seahawks could be Allen’s opportunity to shine

By my estimation, Allen earned more opportunities heading into Week 7. The Chiefs could even find themselves relying on him.

After WR Xavier Worthy’s Week 6 performance, the Seahawks will likely focus on taking him away. Seattle has one of the league’s best defenses at limiting pass-catchers. They’ve allowed a league-best 141 yards per game to opposing passers through the first six weeks. That means the game might come down to the secondary and tertiary options at receiver winning their one-on-one matchups while the defense focuses on Worthy and tight end Travis Kelce.

This scenario is the exact kind of situation that sets up well for a rookie whose quarterback already trusts him. Allen could get the big opportunity that fans have been eager to see as early as Sunday.