The Kansas City Chiefs are quickly entering the danger zone.
As if a tough Week 1 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil wasn’t enough, the Chiefs were dealt a double whammy by losing second-year receiver Xavier Worthy with a discloated shoulder after just three plays.
Kansas City was outmatched on both sides of the ball all night long, something not even Patrick Mahomes could overcome with a Herculean effort.
Already dealing with a six-game suspension for Rashee Rice, the receiver room got even thinner with the loss of Worthy.
The road only gets harder from here, especially as the Chiefs try to maintain their place atop the AFC. Coming off a blowout Super Bowl loss, some began writing them off. Week 1 appeared to confirm some of those opinions and now they face the task of having to replace their top two receivers.
How long is Xavier Worthy out?
Worthy’s status with a dislocated shoulder was described as “day-by-day” by head coach Andy Reid on Monday.
“He’s rehabbing and working his shoulder, we’ll see where it goes, day by day,” Reid told Sports Radio 810 WHB in Kansas City.
That makes it seem that the intial plan is to play with a brace rather than opt for surgery, which would likely knock him out for the season.
It’s unclear how much time, if any, that Worthy ultimately misses, but the hope appears to be that he will return this season at some point.
Xavier Worthy injury update
Worthy suffered a dislocated shoulder in the Chiefs’ Week 1 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil. It only took three plays before the second-year receiver collided with Travis Kelce, forcing him out.
The receiver has since undergone tests to determine the severity of the injury, but those results have not been shared.
Depending on how the process shakes out, Worthy could miss weeks or even be sidelined for the remainder of the season if surgery became necessary. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Sunday that the brace and a return this season was considered the most likely scenario.
Chiefs WR depth chart
With Rice suspended and Worthy now potentially sidelined, the Chiefs are watching their receiving depth quickly evaporate.
They struggled to move ball in Week 1 and these extended absences could only complicate the situation going forward.
Here’s a look at the remaining depth chart at receiver without Rice and Worthy:
- Hollywood Brown
- JuJu Smith-Schuster
- Tyquan Thornton
- Jalen Royals (injured)
- Jason Brownlee
- Nikko Remigio
