Chiefs Roster: How Xavier Worthy’s position has expanded

In 2023, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ rookie extensive receiver Rashee Rice performed a major position of their passing assault. In comparison with the remainder of the place group, the second-round rookie had virtually immediately grow to be the workforce’s most gifted wideout — which pressured Kansas Metropolis to speed up his growth. Whereas there have been rising pains firstly, the Chiefs had been capable of establish Rice’s finest position (and get him sufficient up to the mark) in order that the offense might peak because the workforce closed in on its second straight Tremendous Bowl win.

Coming into 2024, Kansas Metropolis sought to enhance the group’s general expertise degree by including free-agent veteran Hollywood Brown and utilizing its first-round decide on speedy Texas extensive receiver Xavier Worthy. The workforce clearly meant to depend on Brown and Rice as its main wideouts, permitting them time to develop Worthy usually.

However with Brown and Rice now misplaced for many (if not all) of the season because of accidents — and with JuJu Smith-Schuster out for an unknown interval with a hamstring harm — the workforce should return to what it did a yr in the past. Whereas lately acquired veteran extensive receiver DeAndre Hopkins will quickly be the workforce’s most dependable receiver, the Chiefs will nonetheless need to rely closely on their new rookie.

So we’ve been watching Worthy’s position increase — and I assumed Sunday was essentially the most full recreation he’s performed.

Let’s contemplate how he‘s getting used — and the way he’s bettering.

Isolating on the again facet

Kansas Metropolis has used Worthy in some ways to search out the place he wins essentially the most. On Sunday, we noticed extra of him alone on the again facet of formations.

When he’s is on the entrance facet, defenses can extra simply shift their coverages to him, protecting him from getting as a lot airspace. On the again facet, nonetheless, groups should resolve find out how to defend Worthy. If he’s coated one-on-one, he can beat virtually any cornerback together with his velocity. But when they double him to remove that velocity, that leaves one fewer defender on the entrance facet.

Whereas this third-and-2 play good points simply seven yards, it ends in a brand new set of downs. However we will see how his position might increase; Worthy might use double strikes to get downfield from this look. So long as defenses give him these sorts of cushions, he can get straightforward completions to maneuver the chains — and break tackles for greater good points.

Studying to search out holes in zones

Worthy has proven progress find house in zone protection. Because the season started, his routes led him away from coverages — however as he has grow to be extra snug operating routes at this degree, he’s been displaying extra means there.

Worthy did the identical factor in faculty. As he continues to acknowledge coverages (and learn to alter to them), it’s a possibility for Worthy to search out holes in opposition to defenders who’re afraid of his velocity.

Profitable off the road of scrimmage

Worthy has typically struggled to beat jams off the road of scrimmage — however on Sunday, he displayed progress.

On this play, Las Vegas are in Tampa 2. The cornerback over Worthy is giving him a tough jam to disrupt his launch and timing. This permits the security to get excessive, the place he can cap any vertical route. Worthy acknowledges the cornerback lunging at him. He strikes backward, forcing the cornerback to lean — after which makes use of his burst and acceleration to keep away from any contact.

Whereas Worthy isn’t focused on this play, it’s good to see him growing extra methods to beat a jam.

Operating deep out routes

This was my favourite Worthy route in opposition to the Raiders, who’re in Cowl 1 with their cornerbacks in off-coverage. Worthy will get a free launch as a result of the cornerback is threatened by his velocity. He presses the nook vertically earlier than snapping it off to a deep out, creating separation and an enormous throwing window.

One in all Worthy’s most underrated attributes is his means to start out and cease rapidly; he’s a fluid route runner who doesn’t waste a number of movement. When that’s mixed together with his unbelievable velocity, defenders give him massive cushions that create straightforward targets.

Utilizing his horizontal velocity

Worthy was introduced in to stretch the sector. That additionally extends to his horizontal velocity. When a cornerback has to chase him throughout the sector, they virtually haven’t any likelihood of staying with him. At Texas, his finest routes had been deep crossers — on Sunday, we lastly noticed one join.

I like how Worthy retains his route flat on this play — moderately than drifting — which supplies quarterback Patrick Mahomes an enough throwing window to throw the ball downfield.

Operating routes from the backfield

With Hopkins now within the fold, his contested-catch means offers Kansas Metropolis some extra red-zone choices.

I’d like to see this bundle be expanded. Hopkins and Kelce get all the eye, permitting Worthy to align within the backfield, the place he can run angle or possibility routes to get the ball to him beneath.

We noticed how profitable Kadarius Toney was in these packages — and whereas Worthy doesn’t have Toney’s elusiveness, he’s a a lot better route runner. I feel there’s extra that head coach Andy Reid might do right here.

The underside line

Whereas Worthy hasn’t essentially had massive stat strains in his video games, his impression has been felt. Whereas he and Mahomes haven’t totally honed their chemistry, he’s doing his job effectively — and persevering with to enhance.

I nonetheless have considerations in regards to the rookie. He’s unhealthy on the catch level and struggles to interrupt tackles — which is the place his lack of weight reveals up — and with the ball in his palms, he’s not essentially elusive.

Nonetheless, every little thing else has seemed good. He’s growing releases to beat man protection and is bettering as a route runner. In the meantime, Kansas Metropolis is increasing the routes he runs, which helps get him the ball extra typically.

Hopkins’s presence will make Worthy’s job simpler. As his rookie season continues, I hope finishes robust — similar to Rice did in 2023.