Xavier Worthy
Worthy is Kansas City's de facto WR1 while Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton are out. He has the snaps but has been inefficient and used mostly near the line of scrimmage.
Role
Snaps are high. He led Chiefs receivers in Week 6 with 51 offensive snaps (84%, Athlon Sports, Oct 21), ahead of Jalen Royals (74%) and Andrew Armstrong (69%). He had a season-high seven targets in Week 4 and caught all seven of his Week 6 targets for 73 yards. In Week 7 he caught 3 of 6 targets for 11 yards. Rice (hamstring) was inactive and Thornton (ankle) is on IR (AOL, Week 7 recap). Kenneth Walker III and Travis Kelce are also heavily involved in the passing game. I did not find a Week 7 snap count.
With Rice and Thornton out, Worthy gets the most snaps among Chiefs receivers and a steady flow of targets. NBC Sports noted that KC force-fed him near the line of scrimmage in Week 6. He still has the speed and the Mahomes connection, and the team reportedly wanted him in the Rice-type role.
Production keeps failing to match volume. Week 7 was the fourth time this season he finished with 25 yards or less (AOL). SI's Arrowhead coverage, from about three and a half weeks ago, cited a -0.47 EPA per target, second-worst among qualifying receivers, and suggested KC limit his snaps. NBC says the Chiefs hesitate to use him downfield, he struggled to separate against Seattle, and he had a key drop. His fantasy outlook also gets worse if Rice returns.
Where analysts split
The split is over whether his usage is the problem or he is. One side says that with Rice and Thornton out he has a larger role, and the snap count backs that up. The other, NBC and SI, says the team keeps him short and he is not producing, so it should cut his snaps or he belongs on the bench. Rice's return, which has not been confirmed, is the swing factor.
Research confidence: reported. Outlooks are grounded in web search over current reporting and refreshed through the season.
Others at WR
Fantasy Memo reads your league and answers that every Tuesday, and checks again before kickoff.
Connect your league: 14 days free