The Kansas City Chiefs are bracing for another week without one of their most dynamic young playmakers. Rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy has been ruled out of Sunday Night Football against the New York Giants, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, who reported Saturday that Worthy is “not expected to play.”
Xavier Worthy’s Road Back from Injury
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Worthy has been sidelined since the first quarter of Kansas City’s Week 1 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, when he collided with teammate Travis Kelce on a crossing route and dislocated his right shoulder. Kelce later shouldered the blame for the mishap, saying, “No excuse.”
The 2024 first-round pick was a limited participant in practice throughout Week 3. Encouragingly, he was spotted running routes without added arm protection during the open portion of practice. Despite those positive signs, the Chiefs are opting for caution as the wideout continues to heal.
Last season, Worthy quickly established himself as a reliable weapon for Patrick Mahomes, finishing with 59 catches for 638 yards and six touchdowns — good for second on the team in receiving.
Chiefs Searching for Offensive Spark
At 0-2, the Chiefs are in unfamiliar territory. This is their first winless start through two games since 2014, Andy Reid’s second year in Kansas City. Mahomes has been forced to lean on a reshuffled group of pass catchers while waiting for reinforcements.
Rashee Rice, the team’s suspended top receiver, is unavailable until Week 7. Rookie Jalen Royals has also missed the opening two games with a knee injury. That’s left Marquise “Hollywood” Brown to emerge as Mahomes’s go-to option, leading the team with 21 targets, 15 receptions, and 129 yards through two weeks. Kelce is next in line, recording six catches for 108 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets.
Beyond them, Mahomes has spread the ball around to Tyquan Thornton (9 targets), JuJu Smith-Schuster (8), Noah Gray (6), and Isiah Pacheco (5).
Looking Ahead
The Chiefs had been hopeful Worthy could return this week, even exploring the possibility of him wearing a shoulder harness. That optimism will now have to carry into Week 4 as Kansas City continues to search for answers on offense.
For Mahomes and the defending champions, the absence of Worthy only amplifies the urgency to find rhythm — and points — against the Giants on Sunday night.