Xavier Worthy and Jalen Royals on track to play Week 3 vs New York Giants

Xavier Worthy (torn labrum) and Jalen Royals (knee) are both on track to play Sunday against the Giants in a must-win scenario for Kansas City. It is the first time since 2014 that the Chiefs have started a season 0-2. That year, Kansas City finished with a 9-7 record and missed the playoffs.

The Chiefs are trying to avoid repeating that history, and Worthy and Royals' return to the lineup should give this offense a monumental lift. 

Worthy suffered the shoulder injury on the third play of the season opener, running into Travis Kelce on a design rub route that was supposed to free up the 22-year-old receiver for a yards-after-the-catch opportunity. Meanwhile, Royals has not played yet due to knee tendinitis, which he has dealt with since the preseason.

In addition to the injuries, the Chiefs have been shorthanded without their top pass-catching option, Rashee Rice, who is serving a six-game suspension for his role in a multi-car accident in March 2024.

Worthy and Royals return to the field should have Kansas City’s offense playing at a competent level, which has not been the case throughout the first two weeks of the season.

During this span, the Chiefs own a -.03 EPA per pass attempt, which ranks 20th in the league. These stats show how desperate this offense is for receivers who can consistently get open in man and zone coverages.

These two receivers each bring a unique element to the offense, as Worthy’s electrifying speed can open up the middle of the field, while creating chunk plays in the short-passing game. On the other hand, Royals’ skillset mimics Rice’s to an extent, and could also create yards after the catch, which is what this offense needs now.

Week 3 could accurately represent what this offense should look like when Mahomes has his full complement of weapons at his disposal. It will not be perfect with Rice still out of the picture, but it could give hope to the Chiefs and their Super Bowl aspirations.