Who Should I Start? Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Xavier Worthy

Friday, June 12, 9:39 AM

The Athletic's Jesse Newell writes that if the Kansas City Chiefs handed out an MVP award for their organized team activities this offseason, the recipient would have been wide receiver Xavier Worthy. And Worthy did it all while wearing a no-contact jersey while in the final stages of his recovery from a torn labrum that he suffered in 2025. "Xavier really had a nice camp," head coach Andy Reid said. The 5-foot-11, 165-pounder and former first-rounder in 2024 added strength in the offseason as part of the process while rehabbing from surgery in January to fix the torn labrum in his shoulder. Newell thinks there are plenty of reasons for optimism around Worthy in 2026 after he caught just 42 passes for 532 yards and one touchdown in 13 games a year ago. The 23-year-old tore his labrum on the first drive of Week 1, and he wasn't the same weapon afterward. Reid admitted in March that the coaches changed Worthy's role late in the year to shield him from further injury. His shoulder is close to 100% and is improving daily. RotoBaller currently has Worthy ranked as the No. 45 WR for 2026, but if Rashee Rice (knee) faces another suspension, his draft stock will receive a huge boost.