Who Should I Start? Xavier Worthy or Ricky Pearsall

Friday, May 8, 8:09 AM

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told The Athletic's Jesse Newell at last month's annual NFL meeting that the team limited wide receiver Xavier Worthy's (shoulder) routes last year to protect him after his labrum injury in Week 1. "I would tell you that we kind of, after that, we were afraid to do certain things with (Worthy)," Reid said. "So I think him coming back healthy, I think opens up that whole picture you saw during training camp, where he had a whole bunch of different routes in there." The 23-year-old former first-rounder and speed threat took a step back in Year 2 in 2025, catching just 42 of 73 targets for 532 yards and one touchdown in 14 games after putting up a 59-638-6 line in 17 regular-season games as a rookie in 2024. Worthy's shoulder injury never allowed him to reach his true ceiling in his sophomore campaign, and he never went over 85 receiving yards in a single game. With a full route tree again in 2026, Worthy will have bounce-back potential, but his slight frame (5-foot-11, 165 pounds) will continue to leave him vulnerable to injuries. He's currently ranked as the No. 52 fantasy wideout at RotoBaller, but he'll have bounce-back potential in Year 3 if he can stay healthy.