Who Should I Start? Cedric Tillman or Xavier Worthy

Saturday, December 27, 11:01 AM

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman looks to be fighting for the team's WR2 position going into an AFC North battle against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 17. The third-year wide out appears to be in a timeshare with rookie wide receiver Isaiah Bond, with Tillman playing 48% of the snaps, barely edging out Bond, and running 55% of routes compared to Bond's 58%. Whereas the team is getting Bond involved in trick plays and schemes, Tillman does not have much to show aside from his combined three receptions off eight targets for 36 yards since Week 12. If rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (groin) is inactive on Sunday, rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders may look to his wide-outs to pick up the slack, which would benefit Tillman. The Steelers' pass defense has tightened up over the past four weeks, allowing the sixth-fewest fantasy points to opposing wide receivers, making Tillman an even less appealing pivot option for deep league managers. If Fannin Jr. were to miss Week 17, Tillman would get a slight bump to fringe WR4/Flex territory in 14+ person leagues. However, he is the third option on an offense averaging just 169 passing yards per game, which is the fourth-fewest in the NFL.

Tuesday, January 27, 4:20 PM

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy caught 59 passes for 638 yards and six touchdowns in 17 regular-season games in his rookie campaign in 2024, but he wasn't able to build on that performance in Year 2. The 22-year-old former first-rounder caught only 42 of 73 targets for 532 yards and one touchdown in 14 games in 2025 for a Chiefs organization that failed to make the postseason for the first time in a decade. Worthy is a big-play threat anytime he touches the football because of his elite speed and shiftiness, but injuries could quickly become a concern because of his tiny 5-foot-11, 165-pound frame. His fantasy stock is certainly down big time heading into the 2026 season, but perhaps new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy can get Worthy involved more. The biggest obstacle for Worthy being able to bounce back is the presence of Rashee Rice.