What's At Stake For Chiefs' Worthy in 2026

The Kansas City Chiefs are at home during the playoffs, which gives them a chance to evaluate their roster while looking at what the teams winning are doing right. They already have a franchise quarterback in Patrick Mahomes, but what's missing from their roster?

One of the team's most favored to win the Super Bowl is the Los Angeles Rams, and one of their biggest selling points is their explosive quarterback-wide receiver duo in Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua. The Chiefs' lack that duo, especially with the imminent departure of Travis Kelce. With that in mind, how long are the Chiefs willing to wait on Xavier Worthy?

Clock Is Ticking

Oct 27, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) celebrates after a play against the Washington Commanders during the first quarter of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Worthy made a splash in the NFL combine by being the fastest receiver to run the 40-yard dash, with a blistering 4.21 seconds. That was enough for the Chiefs to take a chance on him in the 2024 draft class, trading up into the first round to acquire him.

Whenever the Chiefs acquire a speedster, there will always be comparisons to Tyreek Hill, but that was especially the case with Worthy. The last time they drafted a wide receiver in the first round was Jonathan Baldwin in 2011, so it'd been a long time since Chiefs Kingdom saw a premier pick being used on a receiver. Suffice to say, he had a lot of excitement and potential.

His rookie season had a fantastic six receiving touchdowns, but he only had 638 yards. He had the most receiving yards in their loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl, so it looked like he was set for a big sophomore season.

Rashee Rice was suspended for the beginning of 2025, so their best receiving option was Worthy. It was a perfect opportunity for the Chiefs to look at what an offense with Worthy as their primary receiver would look like. Unfortunately, Kelce and him collided a couple of snaps into their season-opener, and they were without two of their biggest playmakers.

Rice wouldn't make his comeback until Week 4 against the Baltimore Ravens, where he had his best game of the season with five receptions for 83 yards. Unfortunately, that's the most receiving yards he had in a game, and he only scored one touchdown in his sophomore season.

If Andy Reid and the Chiefs want to get back into a dynasty, Worthy needs to take that leap into a more complete receiver. His 2026 will be crucial in improving his connection with Mahomes, and that will go a long way in solidifying his future with the team.

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