Last season, Chiefs wideout Xavier Worthy was a small flicker of hope in an already questionable passing attack. But with him taking a nasty blow to the shoulder in the season opener, that hope was gone before it even had a chance. Limited by the injury, Worthy could never reach the ceiling that showed in 2024: he finished with only one touchdown last season, down from the six he had in the preceding season.

Entering the 2026 season, things have changed with the WR and in his unit. Worthy is now gearing up to take more control of his future, now that he’s had the time to address and recover from the injury.

“Getting better every day,” the Chiefs receiver said at his youth football camp over the weekend. He later added, “Getting stronger, getting better. Mentally stronger. Obviously, this game is 90% mental. So just building my mental up and obviously learning more and more as I get older.”

Worthy suffered a torn labrum and dislocated shoulder in the season opener after colliding with tight end Travis Kelce. He came back after four games, but played the rest of the season with a shoulder brace. It was only in January this year that Worthy underwent surgery to alleviate the issue.

With the Chiefs’ preparations for the 2026 season in full swing, a lot is riding on Worthy’s shoulders.

Presumed WR1 Rashee Rice is currently serving a 30-day prison sentence for violating probation. He was a red flag even before this development, because he had consistently missed time in the 2024 and 2025 seasons. The passing attack is now down to quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Worthy, and WR Tyquan Thornton. Rookie Cyrus Allen might be getting a shot, too.

The Chiefs do not have enough depth anymore, but Worthy now has a chance to show the staff that he can climb up the depth chart.

He might not have gotten enough time on the field, but the young wideout has immense potential. He was a first-round pick in the 2024 draft and led the league in that year’s postseason among wide receivers. Worthy tallied 157 receiving yards in Super Bowl LIX, the most recorded by a rookie receiver in the game.

With the queue cleared up ahead of Xavier Worthy, he is a player to watch this season. Head coach Andy Reid has also been encouraged by what he has seen from the WR so far.

“It’s great for him to be able to detail things, and he’s working like crazy at it,” Reid said. “I think he feels more comfortable now. He had a couple of things cleaned out there (surgically), so he’s just feeling good about that. I think he’s in a good spot. We just don’t want to take any steps back.”

There’s definitely been a lot of encouraging signs from Worthy’s side, who is making every day count.

Xavier Worthy looked good in the Chiefs OTA

Worthy was seen wearing a yellow non-contact jersey at the Chiefs OTAs. The Chiefs clearly don’t want to complicate an already precarious situation and are taking a very cautious approach. But Worthy still participated in the 7-vs-7 drills with Mahomes, and according to team reporter Matt McMullen, the WR caught a “great throw” from the QB.

In a clip shared by 96.5 The Fan, Worthy was also seen in separate pass-catching drills, which were very limited to keep the injuries in check. They were very short passes, and he only had to jump a few times to catch the ball. Worthy could skip the OTAs and use this time for rehab, but his choice of showing up to practice is a sign that he wants to make something out of this season.

As a mom, I’m watching him mature,” Nicki Jones told the press on May 30. “He’s just taking this whole next step in his little adult career life, and I’m here for it.”

The next OTA will be from June 1 to 3, and he will hopefully be in better shape then. With a better opportunity to get a bigger role in the offense this year, Xavier Worthy should leave no stone unturned.