Will Xavier Worthy's Role Change After Rashee Rice Injury?

The Kansas City Chiefs left Los Angeles on Sunday on a bittersweet note.

On one end, their 17-10 victory over the Chargers allowed them to be the first team to be 4-0, and with a two-game lead already in hand in the division. Considering they’ve yet to play anything but a single-possession game, that’s something for them to be quite proud of.

On the other end, their worst fears were confirmed when top receiver Rashee Rice suffered a knee injury. Consequently, the team is now likely going to be without their top two projected receivers (Rice and Marquise Brown) for the rest of the season, meaning they’ll need many contributions from unestablished options to take the load off of tight end Travis Kelce.

Naturally, that onus is going to fall on first-round rookie receiver Xavier Worthy. The University of Texas product has already been in the spotlight since breaking the 40-yard dash record by timing in at 4.21 seconds at last March’s NFL Scouting Combine testing, which made the pairing of him and quarterback Patrick Mahomes potentially lethal from the beginning. That came to fruition this past Sunday:

That 54-yard touchdown pass traveled more than 60 yards in the air and was charted as the third-fastest speed for a ball-carrier this season, per NFL Next Gen Stats. That also gives Worthy three total touchdowns for the season, the most on the team, and averaging nearly as many yards per game (38.5) as Kelce (39.5). Keep in mind that of the team’s other wide receivers, only Justin Watson has played more than half of the team’s snaps or averaged more than seven yards per game. In other words, it’s slim pickings on the outside for Kansas City.

As you’d expect given his speed, Worthy has provided the Chiefs with a dynamic player after the catch. His nine yards after the catch per reception rank fifth among receivers, while his 17.1 yards/reception rank in the top ten as well. Our scouting report (via Keith Sanchez) of Worthy this past January labeled Worthy as “an explosive playmaker who is a threat to score from anywhere on the field,” and that has certainly held true. Sanchez also highlights Worthy as a player who can win both on the outside and in the slot, and as an elite separator. Whether it’s down the field or on crossing routes, there are many different ways for Worthy to make a notable impact, and he’s more than done that so far.

Nevertheless, as is the case with every receiver, Worthy isn’t perfect. Sanchez detailed his less-refined qualities in great detail:

“The biggest concern about his game is his usage. Worthy has a slight frame, which may prevent him from being a receiver that is utilized across the middle of the field in high-traffic areas due to the potential for injury. His frame also may be an issue in being able to fight defenders off quick-game routes such as slants—they may be able to fight through his body to get to the football. Worthy also has untimely concentration drops where it appears that he is focused on running after the catch before making sure he secures the pass.”

Keep in mind that as 5’11” and 165 pounds, Worthy is two inches shorter and around 40 pounds lighter than Rice. That’s completely fine because they are two drastically different receivers.

Rice has served as an intermediate threat for Mahomes, particularly over the middle areas of the field, and has an average depth of target (5.2 yards) less than half of Worthy’s 10.9-yard depth of target. Worthy and Rice are perfect together because they complement each other perfectly, so it would be unfair to expect Worthy to necessarily replace Rice’s production.

Rather, that onus is likely to fall on another player. Justin Watson has historically served as a primary deep threat, meaning that JuJu Smith-Schuster may be the team’s best chance to fill that void. The veteran receiver recorded nearly 1,000 yards for them in 2022—though he hasn’t been asked to play a significant role for them following a one-year stint in New England—has specialized in working in the slot and over the middle of the field, and provides physicality that’ll be missed in the wake of Rice’s injury. Perhaps the offense will need to be more vertical—Mahomes is averaging the lowest depth of target in the NFL currently—but Worthy likely will play a similar role as before.

That’s exactly what the Chiefs should want from the rookie wide receiver, who has more than surpassed expectations so far. Perhaps they’ll look externally (DeAndre Hopkins, for instance) if needed, or they’ll hope they have enough depth beyond Worthy at wide receiver to provide Mahomes with enough help to thrive. However, to take Worthy away from where he’s at his best would be imprudent. Kansas City has consistently found ways to win regardless of who Mahomes’ supporting cast is, and that likely will remain the case. Let’s not put the weight of the world on one player’s shoulders, however.