The Kansas City Chiefs are off to an 8-0 start but have yet to play their best football or look like their true selves. So far, they rank 10th in scoring and 10th in yards gained.
One of the primary reasons for this has been the failure to unlock 28th overall pick Xavier Worthy.
Through the opening eight games, he has tallied just 19 receptions for 235 yards and three touchdowns. Worthy currently ranks 56th among wide receivers based on DraftKings Fantasy production.
As the Chiefs prepare to face off with the Denver Broncos, let’s evaluate whether or not Worthy is worthy of a spot in our starting lineups.
Analysis
It is rare for Andy Reid to receive criticism for not maximizing an offensive talent, but this is the situation with Worthy.
The Texas product is coming off a performance last week in which he did not register a catch and had two carries for -10 yards. This is the first time all season that he has gone without a catch, but he has not tallied more than four receptions in a game all year.
His best performance came in Week 1 against the Ravens where Worthy produced 20.8 fantasy points. He tallied two receptions for 47 yards and a touchdown and added a 21-yard rushing touchdown. Since then, he has produced fantasy outputs of 4.2, 5.0, 16.3, 11.8, 5.4, 13.7 and -1.0.
The Chiefs will be facing off with a Broncos team that ranks third in points allowed and sixth in yards given up. They also rank sixth in passing yards allowed, ninth in passing touchdowns allowed and fourth in yards per pass attempt.
Bottom Line
The appeal of Worthy is clear. He can change the entire outlook for a week from both a fantasy football and NFL perspective with just one touch. Worthy is a big play waiting to happen and can turn a two-yard catch into a lengthy touchdown with any given opportunity.
Unfortunately, these opportunities are far too inconsistent. He had back-to-back weeks with eight targets in Weeks 7 and 8 but then was held without a catch last week.
This is especially frustrating due to the injuries the Chiefs wide receivers have tallied. Juju Smith-Schuster, Rashee Rice, Skyy Moore, and Hollywood Brown have all picked up significant injuries and will not be on the field for this matchup. This has not opened the door for Worthy to have more opportunities in the past weeks.
Until there is a clearer role in the offense for Worthy, it is worth keeping him out of your lineups. He should be viewed as a lottery ticket-type talent who can break free at any moment. There are worse options to have if you need a big swing but look toward some more stable options with guaranteed targets at this point in the season.
Start or Sit Xavier Worthy? Sit.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is seanbarnard) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
