Big things are expected from Kansas City’s rookie wideout.
For a second straight season, the Kansas City Chiefs’ wide receivers are being led by a rookie. First-year speedster Xavier Worthy’s 638 receiving yards rank second behind the team’s legendary tight end Travis Kelce.
On Saturday, the rookie will make his postseason debut as the Chiefs play the Houston Texans on GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. While it will be the biggest moment of his young career, Worthy is working hard to keep it from overwhelming him.
“[I’m] just treating it like every other game,” he explained to media members on Tuesday. “[There are] a lot of vets in the room, so they kind of just make it easy on me — just taking it week-by-week and treating it like a regular game.”
A year ago, Worthy played in the College Football Playoff, catching two passes for 45 yards as Texas lost to Washington in the semifinals. But he believes the NFL playoffs will be “a little bigger.”
Still, quarterback Patrick Mahomes believes the young wideout’s resume will be enough to prepare him for the coming challenge
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“Obviously, [his] adrenaline is going to be flowing,” said Mahomes. “[He’s] going to be a little nervous — or whatever that is — but once you get on the football field, you just play. I think that’s something that he’s done great this entire season. He’s played a lot of big games. He’s done a lot of productive things — and I expect him to do the same things as we get into the playoffs.”
Starting in Week 11, Worthy had a streak of seven straight games with at least four catches, while recording three receiving touchdowns — plus a fourth on a lateral that was officially recorded as a rushing score.
Head coach Andy Reid could see it coming — just as it did for last season’s rookie sensation Rashee Rice.
“He’s a smart kid,” the coach said of Worthy on Tuesday. “You could see the talent. You knew it was a matter of time. I saw that with Rashee the year before. We’ve seen it with a bunch of receivers over time.
“So as long as they’re willing to work smart — and have the skill he has, obviously — you just hang with it. They’ll work through it. They’ve got to see it — [to] get those main defenses down [along with] the reads and the routes and all that. He’s done a nice job of all that.”
But Worthy’s highest praise may have come from now-two-time All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie, who compared him to Kansas City’s veteran deep threat Mecole Hardman.
“You can tell his confidence is up,” McDuffie reported of playing against Worthy in practice. “You give somebody a full year in this system in the league [and] they’re always going to get better. His routes have become crisper. You can tell in the game plan they’re finding him a [few] more routes he can run instead of just going vertical. [He’s] getting some more of the short game [and] getting a few jet sweeps — kind of like Mecole used to get.
“[He’s] someone I’ve just been a fan of — just his play on the field [as well as] off the field — and someone I’m really excited to see what he’s going to do. I think he’s a threat. He’s a factor — and he’s someone I know Pat really loves.”
Worthy believes that much of his success comes from the veteran wide receivers surrounding him.
“I feel like [I’m] just understanding the game more [from] being around guys that have been around — and [have] done it against good corners,” he explained. “Getting it from them — and understanding their knowledge [of] how to do it — has just helped me evolve as a player.”
He cited DeAndre Hopkins and Hollywood Brown as his biggest influences.
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“DHop [is] really route-savvy,” he remarked, “[He] has played the league for a long time and understands it. Also, Hollywood Brown — a guy kind of similar to me; [he’s] smaller in frame — telling me how to run routes against bigger guys [and] smart guys has helped [me] a lot.”
Just don’t expect the NFL’s fastest man to go into the specifics of what Hopkins and Brown have taught him.
“They just gave me… like… techniques,” Worthy smiled. “I can’t really tell you the advice — that’ll give away my tricks — but they just gave me little techniques on how to beat certain coverages and stuff.”
McDuffie is just grateful he doesn’t have to cover Worthy in games.
“[With] the plays he’s able to make [and] the catches he’s able to make,” noted the cornerback, “you can just tell that he’s someone that wants to be that person. He wants to be the No. 1. He wants the ball — and when you have someone like that, I think [they] can be a real threat.”