Christmas Day Fantasy Football Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: Xavier Worthy Vs. Troy Franklin

Exploring who makes a better case to start at wide receiver among Week 17 fantasy football lineups between Xavier Worthy and Troy Franklin.

Dec 21, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) runs with the ball after a made catch against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Nissan Stadium. | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Two wideouts will raise a difficult decision for fantasy football managers on Christmas night. The Denver Broncos will go on the road to take on the Kansas City Chiefs, as two second-year wideouts are slated to face-off head-to-head: Xavier Worthy and Troy Franklin. Worthy and Franklin are slated to provide valuable fantasy production to kick off championship week, each offering compelling cases to start in Week 17. The pair are two of the top year-two wideouts in the league this season, but who deserves to start over the other on Christmas Day? 

The Case For Xavier Worthy

Dec 7, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) runs with the ball during the third quarter against the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. | Amy Kontras-Imagn Images

The Chiefs’ passing game has endured a plethora of hits over recent weeks, losing each of its two top quarterbacks to torn ACLs, along with the tandem of Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton, who are slated to miss the remainder of the season as well. Kansas City is left thin at wide receiver, paving the way for Xavier Worthy to take over the reins in the receiving corps. 

Travis Kelce will command a large chunk of the target share in Chris Oladokun’s first NFL start, but there’s a clear path to Worthy breaking out in fantasy in championship week. He’ll remain the team’s leading deep-threat offensively, but will take a step up as the leading option at wide receiver without the likes of Rice. 

Worthy should see plenty of volume in an expanded role in a depleted Chiefs offense, which could translate to fantasy in the season’s most crucial week. A greater target share will help Worthy bounce back after some quiet performances over recent weeks.

The Case For Troy Franklin

Oct 26, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin (11) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth quarter at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Broncos enter Week 17 as a heavy favorite over a banged-up Chiefs team, which could bode well for a passing attack that has begun hitting its stride over recent weeks. Star quarterback Bo Nix has eclipsed 300 passing yards in three of his last four games, as the offense has leaned on the passing game with greater volume. 

This trend has helped Troy Franklin post highly encouraging production over his last two games, posting 10 catches for 151 receiving yards and a touchdown during that span. He’ll remain an integral contributor in Denver’s passing attack, commanding a respectable margin of the target share throughout the season. 

Franklin is averaging 15.7 points over his last two games and projects to build on his recent trend of output on Christmas Day. He presents an intriguing case to start in championship lineups, considering his numbers over recent weeks. 

The Final Verdict

Dec 7, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin (11) warms up prior to a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Considering the difference in quarterback situations, I’m going to pick Franklin over Worthy for Week 17 lineups. Franklin has sustained greater production over the last several games with Nix at the helm, consistency that isn’t shared among the Chiefs’ offense. It’s unclear how Kansas City’s offense will perform under Oladokun, which makes Worthy too great a risk for championship contenders in fantasy football.