The Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver room has been a bit hit or miss this year, but just as they got one back, Xavier Worthy appears to be hurt. Worthy has been involved in bits and pieces throughout the season, seeing plenty of opportunities but not always converting those into significant contributions.
Let’s examine what happened to Worthy, the latest injury update, and the fantasy football implications.
What Happened to Xavier Worthy?
Worthy hobbled off the field late in the second quarter as the Chiefs were trying to extend their lead before the half. He was almost immediately listed as questionable with an ankle injury.
Xavier Worthy #chiefs
Injured his ankle on this play. Was having a hard time weight bearing as he walked off. Hopefully will be okay pic.twitter.com/fHa8meoYbk
— Tom Christ, PT, DPT, OCS, FAAOMPT (@FantasyInjuryT) December 21, 2024
The injury appeared innocuous at first, as Worthy simply appeared to lose balance at the line of scrimmage when trying to get away from his defender. However, the way he came up and could not put much weight on the ankle suggested there was more to it than it initially seemed.
Non-contact injuries tend to be a bigger concern for players, and that is very much what Worthy’s looks to be. The Chiefs evaluated Worthy at halftime, and the young rookie receiver was back on the sideline wearing his helmet as the Texans kicked off to the Chiefs. He was on the field for the first offensive snap of the half.
Entering today’s game, Worthy had 44 receptions on 78 targets for 494 yards and four touchdowns. He has also added 84 yards and three rushing touchdowns on 15 rushing attempts. In Week 16, Worthy added 26 yards receiving on four receptions and three yards rushing. If he does not return, that will mean he ends Week 16 with 530 receiving yards and 87 rushing yards.
As a barometer of future success, we consider anything over 525 receiving yards as an absolute minimum for a rookie. If Worthy does not play another snap, he has at least hit that minimum. However, that is not as much a marker that indicates success going forward, but rather going above a bar that has generally indicated a high bust rate in receivers over the last 10 or so years.
Fantasy Implications of Worthy’s Injury
Worthy’s production has been sporadic at best this season, but he’s on the field regularly (65.5% share) in a Patrick Mahomes offense that is chasing the AFC’s top seed, and that holds some value.
Hollywood Brown made his season debut in this game and was the first Chief to reach three catches. His per-target production over the course of his career hasn’t been great, but should he work into the unquestioned WR1 role, he could be a difference-maker at the perfect time for managers who stashed him ahead of his return to action.
