Xavier Worthy drawing comparisons to Rashee Rice’s rookie season

Kansas City offensive coordinator Matt Nagy discusses the similarities between the team’s two promising young receivers.

The Kansas City Chiefs put on one of their better offensive performances of the season this past weekend in a 27-19 victory over the Houston Texans. The day was highlighted by rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy, whom offensive coordinator Matt Nagy shared high praise for following a seven-reception, 65-yard, one-score performance.

“Confidence and the game is slowing down for him,” Nagy said when asked about the key factors behind Worthy’s recent success. “It reminds me so much of Rashee [Rice] last year. It’s crazy how much it reminds me of that same type of avenue that Rashee went through last year. It was a little slow for the first four, five, six weeks. Then, in Weeks 7, 8, 9 and 10, you could really sense it.”

Nagy’s comparison to the Chiefs’ injured second-year receiver Rashee Rice is compelling. During the first eight games of Rice’s rookie season, he recorded 30 receptions for 361 yards and three touchdowns without a single game of eight or more targets. In the second half of that season, his stats significantly improved as he became a greater emphasis in the offense: 49 receptions for 577 yards and four touchdowns, with five games featuring eight or more targets.

After a slow start of his own, Worthy appears to be following a similar trajectory. In his first eight games, the rookie managed 19 receptions for 235 yards and three receiving touchdowns. Since then, across seven games, he has recorded 32 receptions for 324 yards and two receiving touchdowns. His target count has also increased from 39 to 50 in the last seven games, including back-to-back games with 11 targets.

As the Chiefs dealt with receiver injuries throughout the season, Worthy became the biggest benefactor and has stepped up admirably.

“All of a sudden, you naturally see more targets, more touches, and more production,” Nagy explained. “That’s exactly what happened with Rashee. I’m telling you, it’s crazy how similar it is, and it’s exciting because you see what Rashee came into this year and what he did early on, and I think that’s the same path for this kid.”

The spike in Worthy’s production, according to Nagy, is largely due to his growing comfort within the Chiefs’ offense. He says the rookie is doing a nice job now of getting to the line quickly, knowing exactly where he needs to be on his routes, and leveraging his speed and grasp of the playbook to capitalize on opportunities — something Nagy would like to see continue as they enter the postseason.

“He’s understanding what it takes to be a successful wide receiver in this league,” Nagy said. “That’s staying on time, playing fast, and making the play when the play is given to you.

“He’s done a phenomenal job with that, and I think that’s the biggest thing. Now, it’s just continuing to keep doing it here. As we move forward into the playoffs, everything is faster, so it’s even going to pick up from what he’s been seeing.”