Jalen Royals Injury: Looking unlikely for Week 1

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said Friday that Royals (knee) is not expected to suit up against the Chargers in Week 1, Jesse Newell of The Athletic reports.

Royals missed Kansas City's preseason finale due to knee tendinitis and looks set to also sit out the team's regular-season opener, but as the Chiefs didn't place him on IR while cutting down to a 53-man roster, it seems the rookie fourth-round pick is expected to miss less than four games before returning to action. With Rashee Rice (suspension) out the first six weeks of the season, Royals will have an opportunity to push for snaps behind Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown (ankle) and JuJu Smith-Schuster once healthy.