Xavier Worthy (hamstring) will practice Wednesday

Patrick Mahomes will have his speedy wide receiver on the field this weekend. Unfortunately for Worthy, he may be operating in a reduced role with Josh Downs now in Kansas City. Worthy can still be rostered in 12-team formats, but his play could be even more volatile.

We got word early on Wednesday that Worthy would suit up for practice. He ended up being a full participant and remained full today, putting him firmly on track to play in Week 10 against the Falcons. Worthy is down to being a touchdown-dependent FLEX with Josh Downs now on the roster, but his presence helps out Patrick Mahomes.

Worthy hobbled off the field after a fourth quarter reception in the KC victory. It appeared to be the serious kind of hamstring injury but we won’t know the extent of it until the team tests the speedy receiver. Worthy had caught all six of his targets for 48 yards before exiting the game. An absence of Worthy would likely free up more targets for Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice. The team’s running backs could also see an uptick in targets if Worthy misses time.

With Rashee Rice back after missing two games because of a hamstring issue, Worthy was relegated to WR2 duties once again. Per usual, he didn’t do much while Rice racked up PPR-friendly receptions. Worthy was, however, the intended target on a pair of red zone attempts in the third quarter. Pat Surtain easily broke up one pass that was left a bit short and Worthy actually fought to knock another one down that should have been intercepted by Riley Moss. Worthy has topped 25 yards in one game with Rice again. He’s simply not a part of the Chiefs’ plans on offense when they’re at full strength. Fantasy managers can feel free to cut him loose on this week’s run of waivers.

Worthy struggled to separate from primary coverage of the Seahawks throughout, also committing a drop in a crucial situation in the second half. The Chiefs continue to show hesitancy in utilizing Worthy in a downfield role, which is of particular concern for his fantasy managers considering the absence of Tyquan Thornton. Worthy is better left on fantasy benches ahead of a Week 8 meeting with the stingy Broncos, particularly if Rashee Rice returns from injury.

The Chiefs, with Rashee Rice (hamstring) sidelined, made every effort to force feed Worthy near the line of scrimmage in this one. That resulted in Worthy leading the KC offense in both targets and receiving yards, with a long reception of 19 yards. Most of his Week 6 touches were of the gadget variety. Increased usage should give Worthy a sturdy PPR floor for now. He should be considered a flex play next week against the tough Seattle secondary.

Rice appeared to have a good chance at suiting up for Week 6 when Andy Reid spoke about it after Week 4’s win over the Raiders. Reid only said he “tweaked” his hammy. Even with a bye week to rest, it looks like Rice is now on the wrong side of questionable for Week 6. With Tyquan Thornton on IR, Xavier Worthy may be tasked with WR1 duties this week. He totaled four catches for 70 yards in his last outing and would be a solid FLEX play versus the Chargers if Rice can’t go.

Worthy saw a season-high seven targets in this one after Rashee Rice (hamstring) exited just a few plays into the game. Worthy came up with a handful of key plays for the Chiefs, with his biggest coming on a 41-yard reception that put the Chiefs in position for a short touchdown pass to Tyquan Thornton a few plays later. The Chiefs now head into their Week 5 bye, but they could be down multiple receivers, with Rice and Thornton (ankle) both suffering injuries in this one. While we don’t yet know the extent of Rice’s injury, Thornton’s ankle injury looked like a potential season-ender. Worthy could well be worth a stash in leagues where he is still available, as he could soon be the top receiver for the Chiefs when they return in Week 6 to face the Chargers. Second-year receiver Jalen Royals, who ran 21 routes in this game, could also see an expanded role in the coming weeks.

Worthy was also shaken up by a big hit but was never announced with an injury. Patrick Mahomes attempted only 24 passes this afternoon, but that’s still a disappointing target total for the third-year pro. 23-year-old Worthy is now sitting on just 10 catches for 63 yards through the Chiefs’ first three games. Even with this offense showing major year-over-year improvement, it’s getting harder to keep the WR4 faith with Worthy. The Raiders are a plus Week 4 matchup in Vegas.

Worthy’s score came from one yard out on a fourth-down play at the end of the second quarter. The play followed three consecutive failed rush attempts from Kenneth Walker from one yard out, with the veteran receiver leaking to the flat on a Mahomes bootleg for his first score of the young season. Worthy remains a shaky WR5 ahead of a cake matchup with the Dolphins in Week 3.