The Kansas City Chiefs have erased the bad memories of the 2025 season with a hot start, but their offense is now threatened with a pair of major injuries.
Top receiver Rashee Rice has been ailing and deep threat Tyquan Thornton is in danger of missing most of the season after suffering a dislocated ankle in last week’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
The injuries could force another struggling receiver to take on a bigger role, one insider warned.
Xavier Worthy May Need to Take Bigger Role
SI.com writer Joshua Brisco fielded a question about the role Xavier Worthy will play after the injury to Thornton. The third-year receiver was originally drafted in the first round of the 2024 draft with the hopes he would develop into a top target for Patrick Mahomes, but he failed to live up to expectations.
Brisco warned that Worthy will need to step up his performances with Thornton likely out for the rest of the regular season.
“Worthy was always on track to have a large role in this offense, but I do think the Thornton injury is the official end of any possibility that Worthy will be phased into a significantly smaller role,” Brisco wrote. “However the Chiefs try to utilize him now, Worthy will need to have his best year yet for the Chiefs’ offense to remain as explosive as it’s been through the first four weeks.”
Chiefs Missing Tyquan Thornton
The Chiefs have jumped out to a 4-0 start this season thanks in large part to their versatile offense, with running back Kenneth Walker III leading the NFL in rushing and opening up a dangerous play-action game for Mahomes.
But the team will miss Thornton, who was having a career-best game with five receptions for 111 yards and two touchdowns when he was hurt.
“Everybody … loves Tyquan,” said Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, via the Kansas City Star. “The guy just shows up every single day with his construction hat on ready to go to … work and ready to put in the time and the effort that’s needed to have the success that he’s having,” Kelce said. “We’re 4-0. He’s playing unbelievable.”
Kelce said he was especially gutted to see Thornton hurt while having a huge game.
“He’s got Pat Mahomes’ trust. He’s got the coaches’ trust, and then to have something like this happen on such a big play in the game, it sucks, man,” Kelce said. “It sucks, and obviously positive news with the ankle (recovery timeline) and in hopes that if we are in the playoffs, and he’s healthy enough, he can get back out there. “But at the same time, man, you just hate to see it happen to such a good guy, man. We’ve got a lot of … good teammates and you guys are gonna hear me say how much I love these guys, but Tyquan is definitely at the top of the list, man. Everybody loves that dude.”
Chiefs Insider Issues Word of Warning for Xavier Worthy