Xavier Worthy, the Chiefs’ explosive rookie wide receiver, heads into Week 1 against the Ravens with high expectations, fitting seamlessly into Kansas City’s revamped, dynamic offense. Worthy’s early chemistry with Patrick Mahomes was promising during his first preseason, making him a high-upside fantasy football option in a matchup where Kansas City will likely need to air it out against Baltimore’s tough defense.
Worthy’s on-field skill set is highlighted by his elite speed, clocking in at 22.7 MPH and 4.21 in the 40-yard dash, making him the fastest wide receiver in league history. Although he has a thin frame, he can create yards after the catch, averaging an impressive 7.3 yards after catch per reception in college.
However, I beg you. Please do not compare Worthy’s skill set to that of John Ross or other vertical burners with a limited bag.
Over his three-year tenure as a true target hog at Texas, he ranked among the top Longhorn receivers ever in various categories, such as career touchdown receptions (26), receiving yards (2,755), and receptions (197).
After the Chiefs drafted Worthy at the end of the first round, it didn’t take long for him to make his mark in the Chiefs offense as he immediately shined in training camp and preseason alongside QB1.
Worthy put up a crazy 17.0 average depth of target (aDot) on his six preseason targets (29% target share), highlighted by a 39-yard bomb and a stunning 22-yard touchdown.
Not only can Worthy get vertical using his track star speed, but he can also get loose in the screen game and break ankles on intermediate routes, making him a perfect fit in Andy Reid’s creative scheme.
XAVIER WORTHY WEEK 1 FANTASY OUTLOOK
Xavier Worthy’s Week 1 fantasy outlook is filled with intrigue and potential. The hype appears justified, and there’s every reason to believe he can evolve into a reliable fantasy WR3/Flex option over the season—similar to a healthy 2023 Tank Dell.
But will that journey begin in Week 1 against a sound Baltimore Ravens defense led by new defense coordinator Zach Orr? After taking over for Mike Macdonald, there’s been some buzz that the Ravens are looking to boost their blitz percentage from 2023 (21.9%), which could give Worthy more space on the backend to make plays.
With new signing Hollywood Brown sidelined, Worthy is set to start in two-receiver sets opposite Rice, meaning he could see significant volume right away. However, he’s still a rookie squaring off against a defense that held his team to 17 points in their previous meeting.
But be aware, Worthy’s performance could be boom or bust depending on early trust built with his quarterback and play-caller. His entire Week 1 fantasy performance could be based on a deep ball target or red zone usage.
Worthy is a big play waiting to happen, and we all know that Andy Reid has been in the lab trying to get him into space right away.
SUMMARY: SHOULD YOU START XAVIER WORTHY IN WEEK 1?
Is Rashee Rice the Chiefs’ best fantasy pass-catching option behind Travis Kelce? Yes, but that’s not why we are here.
If your league trots out three receivers and a Flex, then yes, I would roll the dice and start Xavier Worthy this week. But, depending on your roster build and receiver depth, I would likely sit him in a two-wide receiver and Flex lineup this week.
Just to give some clarification on the Chiefs’ offense vs the Ravens, The Wolf ranks Patrick Mahomes QB4 (-1 vs ECR), Travis Kelce TE2, Rashee Rice WR20 (+4), and Xavier Worthy WR33 (+6) on his Week 1 Fantasy Football Rankings and Tiers—putting Worthy in the low-end WR3/Flex convo.
If you’re a betting man/woman, I like Worthy’s Anytime Touchdown value at +185 on FanDuel, the sixth-highest odds for Thursday’s contest. Plus, our partners at Underdog Fantasy (click to get up to $1,000 in bonus cash!) also posted Worthy’s reception total at 3.5, his receiving yards at 46.5, and his longest reception listed at 20.5 yards. You’re telling me that the fastest player on the field won’t stretch the defense once?!
It’s always sketchy to rely on a rookie receiver in Week 1, but the combination and upside of Mahomes, Reid, and Worthy is too much to pass up in most league formats.
