Xavier Worthy Struggling in Expanded Role: Cause for Concern?
- Lewis Green
- Nov 7, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 16, 2024
A deep dive.
Through the first eight games of the 2024 NFL season, Xavier Worthy has been thrust into an expanded role in the Chiefs' offense due to a series of unfortunate injuries to key wide receivers. This increased responsibility has, in many ways, come somewhat unfairly as Worthy adjusts to the pressures of being a primary target in an offense led by Patrick Mahomes.
[Table tracking games played by the Chiefs' main wide receivers through the first eight games of the 2024 season.]
As his performance has dipped alongside his rising role, the question arises: Is this drop in production simply a byproduct of the expanded role, or should it be a cause for concern moving forward? Let’s take a closer look at Worthy’s play and explore whether his struggles are to be expected or something more significant.
The Type of Player Xavier Worthy Is
what type of receiver is he?
Xavier Worthy is, without a doubt, a burner. His calling card is speed—world-class, jaw-dropping, “blink and you’ll miss him” speed. With a blistering 4.21 40-yard dash at the NFL combine and a ridiculous 41-inch vertical, Worthy’s athleticism is off the charts. He’s the kind of receiver who can turn a simple go-route into a 70-yard highlight reel, and that’s exactly what the Chiefs have been hoping for since bringing him in. His raw, explosive talent makes him a nightmare for any secondary trying to keep up.
But here’s the catch: all that speed doesn’t automatically translate to production on the stat sheet—yet. At 170 pounds, Worthy’s slight frame can’t withstand the violent collisions that come with the NFL grind, and as a rookie, he’s still learning how to adjust to that. It’s tough to get off press coverage when you’re smaller, and running crisp routes against physical corners isn’t exactly easy when you don’t have the size to box out defenders. While he can absolutely torch defenses with his deep-threat ability, he’s not the type to fight through traffic over the middle like a Rashee Rice (6’1", 210 lbs).
Worthy’s game is centered around his explosive speed, and while he’s a work in progress when it comes to strength and route running, the flashes of brilliance are there. His best days are ahead of him as he continues to develop physically and refine his craft.
Worthy’s Role in the Chiefs Offense
What's his job?
Worthy is at his best on the outside, where he can take advantage of single coverage and showcase that elite speed to get behind defenders. As an X receiver, he’s a perfect fit for Patrick Mahomes' arm, which can launch deep balls with precision. In this role, Worthy can stretch the field and force defenses to account for his deep-threat ability, opening up space for other weapons on the offense. His speed is his superpower, and he’s just scratching the surface of how it can be used in this system.
Can he work in the slot? Sure, but it’s going to depend on the matchup. Right now, his game is all about catching fire on the deep ball, not working the middle of the field with brute force—though, as he matures, that could change. Worthy is still learning the nuances of the NFL, and his rookie season is a trial run to find consistency. If he adds muscle and sharpens his route tree, he’ll become more versatile and a bigger threat across the field. The Chiefs will likely continue to deploy him in deep-ball situations for now, but don’t be surprised if his role grows as his development progresses.
Worthy production?
Worthy, Rice, and Moore: Rookie Receiver Showdown
To assess Xavier Worthy’s production, we’ll compare him to two Chiefs rookie receivers: Skyy Moore, drafted 54th overall in 2022, and Rashee Rice, drafted 55th overall in 2023. This comparison will use the first 8 games of each player’s rookie season to contextualize Worthy’s performance and gauge where he ranks among these recent draft picks.
[Chiefs Rookie Receivers Through First 8 Career Games]
Through the first 8 games of their rookie seasons, we’ve seen three very different stories unfold for Xavier Worthy, Rashee Rice, and Skyy Moore.
Worthy and Rice are tied at 39 targets each, but where they differ is in catching the ball. Worthy has hauled in 19 catches, giving him a 48.7% reception rate, which is a bit on the lower side, similar to Skyy Moore, who caught 6 of 13targets for a 46.2% reception rate. Meanwhile, Rice is the clear standout, snagging 30 of his 39 targets for a 76.9%reception rate, proving he can consistently come through in tough spots.
When it comes to yardage, Rice again leads the pack with 361 yards. Worthy comes in second with 235 yards, showing he’s more of a deep threat, but not quite the consistent possession guy that Rice has been. Moore, on the other hand, only managed 100 yards through his first 8 games, and let’s be real—it was a quiet start for him in 2022.
Touchdowns are where it gets interesting: both Worthy and Rice share 3 touchdowns apiece, showing they can get in the end zone when it counts. Moore, though, had to wait until the Super Bowl to score his first TD, making his first 8 games largely uneventful.
In a nutshell, Rice had the best start by far, with a high catch rate and consistent yardage. Worthy is still figuring it out but has shown enough to get excited about, while Moore had a rough go in his first 8 games, unfortunately foreshadowing how the next few years would unfold for him.
Xavier Worthy: Sky’s the Limit, But Patience is Key
What should we expect of the 21-year-old rookie?
The answer to that question is simple—Xavier Worthy has been exactly what we expected and why the Chiefs drafted him in the first place. If the Chiefs had selected Skyy Moore last year, we’d probably be feeling a lot more optimistic about Worthy’s early production. But after Rashee Rice’s explosive rookie season in 2023, it’s understandable why expectations are a little higher this time around.
That said, it’s important to remember that Worthy was a late first-round pick, not a top-tier prospect like Malik Nabers or Marvin Harrison Jr. He was never supposed to step into a large role so early, but with the injuries to key veterans like JuJu Smith-Schuster, Hollywood Brown, and Skyy Moore—who’ve only played 43% of the available games between them—Worthy has been thrust into the spotlight.
For a 21-year-old rookie in Andy Reid’s complex system, Worthy has been just fine. His development is a work in progress, and there’s no reason to believe it won’t continue to grow as the season unfolds. What’s most encouraging is the trust Patrick Mahomes seems to have in him, as evidenced by Worthy being targeted the same number of times (39) as Rashee Rice through their first eight games.
The key takeaway here? Patience. Worthy’s future in Kansas City looks bright, and as his role expands, we’ll likely see him become more consistent. The potential is there; it’s just a matter of time before it all clicks.
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