NFL Analysis
9/12/24
4 min read
Xavier Worthy Brings More Than Just Speed to Chiefs' Offense
Opponents can call Xavier Worthy a speed merchant, but the Kansas City Chiefs rookie brings legitimate value to the team's offense.
Cincinnati Bengals CB Cam Taylor-Britt took some shots at Worthy ahead of the team's big Week 2 matchup against the Chiefs. Although he acknowledged that Worthy brings top-tier speed to the game, there's little else he can contribute, according to Taylor-Britt.
"Speed, that's about it," Taylor-Britt told reporters when asked about Worthy's impact. "He can run straight -- run jet sweeps and just run straight. He can't do too much else, so that's about it...I feel like if you put your hands on him, he's only a hundred-something pounds. If you put hands on him, you're going to stop his speed. So, basically, get your hands on him."
Even if Taylor-Britt's assessment of Worthy is correct, it doesn't accurately assess the rookie's impact just one week into his NFL career.
Xavier Worthy's Impact on the Chiefs' Offense
Worthy was an explosive weapon for the Chiefs in their season-opening win against the Baltimore Ravens. He finished the game with two catches for 47 yards and a touchdown while adding another 21-yard score on the ground off of a reverse.
Taylor-Britt is at least willing to admit that Worthy brings speed to the table. Along with breaking the NFL Scouting Combine record with a 40-yard dash time of 4.21 seconds, he showed his breakaway speed without being touched on his first touchdown as a pro.
Did Xavier Worthy even get touched on this touchdown?? #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/e5A0k5YWFk
— Price Carter (@priceacarter) September 10, 2024
That play also showcased Worthy's vision as a runner after the catch. His ability to understand his own abilities while setting up blockers was a big reason for this touchdown.
The advanced metrics back up Worthy's impact in Week 1. According to RBSDM.com, he led all Chiefs players not named Patrick Mahomes with 5.7 expected points added despite only playing 34 of the team's 54 offensive snaps.
Worthy's impact was felt even without the ball in his hands. The play below shows how much gravity he has on his routes because of his top-end play speed, which allows his other teammates to get open in the passing game.
Xavier Worthy’s gravitational pull pic.twitter.com/u1U0bxy3xG
— 𝘙𝘑 (@RJLockedIn) September 12, 2024
Taylor-Britt has some credibility when talking about Worthy's size and overall skill set. He's only listed at 165 pounds, and he went viral during training camp on a play where he was thrown to the ground when attempting to run a route against press coverage.
However, Worthy will continue to acclimate to the NFL with more playing time and experience. Even if Taylor-Britt wants to call Worthy a "speed merchant," his play speed is such a dangerous weapon that it's getting his teammates open, allowing Mahomes to pick defenses apart.
The Chiefs haven't had that kind of game-breaking speed on their offense since Tyreek Hill was still in Kansas City. It's way too early to fairly stack Worthy against Hill, but two touchdowns in his first NFL game is an awfully strong way to start a career.
The Bengals SHouldn't Have Poked the Bear
As if the Bengals didn't have enough to worry about heading into Sunday, they now have to back up their trash talk against Worthy.
According to FTN Fantasy, the pass defense ranks just 22nd in DVOA despite playing Jacoby Brissett and the New England Patriots in Week 1. The Bengals weren't much better for an entire season in 2023, ranking just 19th in DVOA against the pass.
The whole Chiefs offense will know about Taylor-Britt's comments, and they have more weapons for Mahomes to throw to than they had in 2023. Along with Worthy flashing in Week 1, second-year WR Rashee Rice looked like an established WR1, catching seven passes for 103 yards. Travis Kelce had a quiet night, but is still one of the biggest mismatches at tight end.
Cincinnati is facing an 0-2 start that could derail its season with a loss to the Chiefs, and Taylor-Britt just gave the opponent some bulletin board material.
