As the Kansas City Chiefs continue preparing for their Week 3 game against the New York Giants, several players are working through injuries. Fortunately for the reigning AFC champions, it’s mostly good news as the week rolls on.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday morning, head coach Andy Reid provided the latest on several players. Defensive end Mike Danna (quad) and cornerback Kristian Fulton (ankle) won’t practice, but everyone else will work in some capacity.
That includes a pair of important pass catchers.
Andy Reid Provides Big-Time Week 3 Chiefs Injury Updates
Per Reid, wide receivers Xavier Worthy (shoulder) and Jalen Royals (knee) are set to get some work in.
The latter development is massive for the Chiefs. Royals, the club’s fourth-round pick in this year’s NFL Draft, hasn’t practiced this regular season. Knee tendonitis held the first-year man out of multiple weeks of work, and he didn’t even travel with the team to Brazil for Week 1’s contest against the Los Angeles Chargers.
In advance of Week 2’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Reid announced that Royals would likely miss the game. His tone has changed as a new weeks of practice continues.
“He’s coming [along] pretty good,” Reid said. “We’ll just see how he does here. He’s been out for a while, so I’d like to see how he moves around.”
According to Reid, neither Royals nor Worthy is slated to have restrictions at practice on Wednesday. If true, that’s even greater news for the Chiefs.
Worthy, last year’s first-round pick, suffered a dislocated shoulder in Week 1. An in-game collision with tight end Travis Kelce saw him miss some time, but he returned to practice in limited capacity last week. The sophomore wideout got downgraded from doubtful to out for last Sunday’s game, but the sentiment surrounding his progress was positive.
With a pair of athletic receivers on the mend, quarterback Patrick Mahomes may be getting some of his targets back soon.
Rashee Rice-Less Kansas City Offense Eyeing Early-Season Improvement
If one or both of the Royals-Worthy duo is able to return for Week 3, it’d be a welcome sight for the Chiefs‘ offense. Fellow wideout Rashee Rice is still out until the end of Week 6. The third-year man is serving an early-year suspension, leaving Mahomes without his projected top option in the passing game.
That, paired with other absences, is certainly showing. Through two games, the Kansas City offense ranks 14th in EPA/play according to SumerSports. That includes a 20th ranking in EPA/pass, further highlighting the shortcomings stemming from injuries and inconsistency.
The flashes are there. After Worthy went down in the Chargers game, Mahomes took a bit to find his footing but then led five consecutive scoring drives to end the contest. In Week 2, he had multiple Superman-type series where he dragged the offense down the field. Attention to detail and execution, at a micro level, continue to effect the macro outlook. Kelce’s collision with Worthy and his Sunday drop against the Eagles are appropriate examples.
Perhaps the answer to Kansas City’s problems is health. Maybe it’s a larger sample size of work. Both could be on the table. Either way, something’s got to give. An 0-2 start to the season makes every subsequent rep — practice or otherwise — much more important.
Luckily for the Chiefs, those practice snaps now have better talent involved.
Andy Reid Drops Huge Injury News on 2 Chiefs WRs