Chiefs Rookie Has the Almighty Opportunity

Barring a splashy trade, Kansas City Chiefs rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy might morph into the club’s WR1 — by default and out of sheer necessity.

Chiefs Rookie Has the Almighty Opportunity

Teammate Rashee Rice was injured in Kansas City’s Week 4 road win over the Los Angeles Chargers and may not return in 2024. NFL Network‘s Ian Rapoport tweeted hours after the development, “Kansas City Chiefs star WR Rashee Rice, who was ruled out today, is feared to have a serious and significant knee injury, sources say. The injury — likely an ACL tear — could cost him his season, though he’ll have an MRI. A brutal outcome.”

If the worst is confirmed — Rice out of the year — the Chiefs would pivot to this wide receiver group, headlined by Worthy:

• Xavier Worthy
• Justin Watson
• Skyy Moore
• Mecole Hardman
• JuJu Smith-Schuster

Most teams, especially ones not quarterbacked by Patrick Mahomes, could be doomed by this fivesome. Of course, the Chiefs employ tight end Travis Kelce, who got off the schneid in the win over Los Angeles.

So, Kansas City can return to a heavy workload for Kelce — which is likely on the menu — but Mahomes will need a primary WR target, and that just has to be Worthy. Who else would it be?

Thankfully, for Chiefs fans’ sake, head coach Andy Reid isn’t panicked, at least not outwardly. He said publicly after the win and Rice’s injury that his team would have to spread the ball around henceforth. “We’ve got guys here that have experience playing in the game It’s not that he’s the only one, doesn’t have to be the only one,” Reid told reporters. “We’ve got a good group of guys there that we can utilize, and we normally spread the ball around and that’s what we’ll continue to strive to do.”

Worthy has gained attention in the offense so far, too — with Rice in the lineup. He’s tabulated 154 receiving yards and is on pace for 655 and 13 total touchdowns. Not bad. An increased touch load will be music to his ears; he just has to be prepared for the duty. It’s an important job — the WR1 for a team hoping to become the first in NFL history to three-peat as champions.

One thing is for sure: the man is fast enough for the Chiefs’ system. At the 2024 NFL Combine, he earned the title of the fastest man in the history of the event. Now, he just has to catch the ball first and run efficient routes.

Worthy is fifth in line as of September 30th to win the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award, with +2500 odds.

---

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His NFL obsession dates back to 1989. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL. 

All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.