Facing 3-to-4-month absence

Thornton is slated to undergo surgery later this week to address the dislocated left ankle he sustained in Sunday's 30-27 win over the Raiders and is facing an expected recovery timeline of 3-to-4 weeks, Matt Zenitz of CBSSports.com reports.

Depending how quickly Thornton bounces back from surgery, Zenitz notes that the speedy receiver could have a small chance at returning late in the regular season or during the playoffs. The injury is nonetheless a devastating development for Thornton, who had turned in perhaps the best performance of his career -- a five-catch, 111-yard, two-touchdown effort on eight targets -- before going down with the gruesome ankle injury at the end of a 55-yard reception with just under four minutes left in the fourth quarter. In Thornton's absence, the Chiefs could call upon Xavier Worthy to run more vertical routes, and Kansas City may also have interest in a reunion with Tyreek Hill (knee), who is expected to sign a deal with a team within the next few days.