Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA;  Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Chiefs WRs Xavier Worthy, Jalen Royals practice in limited capacity Wednesday

The Kansas City Chiefs appear poised to get an infusion of receiver talent for Sunday night’s game against the New York Giants.

Head coach Andy Reid said that he expected both Xavier Worthy (shoulder) and Jalen Royals (knee) to practice with no limitations on Wednesday, but both were listed as limited participants on the official injury report.

Worthy went down with a dislocated shoulder, later reported as a torn labrum, on the fourth play of the Chiefs’ season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. While it was originally feared Worthy would need surgery, he returned to practice late last week and is now in line to miss just one full game.

Worthy was productive as a rookie last season, finishing with 638 yards and six touchdown catches.

Royals, a fourth-round pick in this year’s draft, has been sidelined since training camp due to knee tendinitis.

“He’s coming (along) pretty good,” Reid said of Royals. “We’ll see how he does here. He’s been out for a while.”

Getting either of these targets back available would be a boost considering Rashee Rice has four games left to serve on a disciplinary suspension tied to a high-speed crash in March 2024.

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, a two-time MVP, ranks 15th in the league with 445 passing yards through two games. He has been dealing with a right wrist issue and was listed on the injury report as a full participant.

Defensive end Mike Danna (quad) and cornerback Kristian Fulton (ankle) did not practice.

Both the Chiefs and host Giants are 0-2.

–Field Level Media

Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA;  Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Status of Chiefs WRs Xavier Worthy, Jalen Royals unclear for Sunday vs. Eagles

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was non-committal about the status of wide receivers Xavier Worthy and Jalen Royals for Sunday’s home opener against Philadelphia when addressing media members Monday.

Coming off a rookie season where he led all Chiefs wide receivers with 638 yards and six touchdowns, Worthy sustained a dislocated shoulder on the third offensive play of the Chiefs’ season-opening 27-21 loss to the Chargers in Sao Paulo.

Reports have indicated Worthy has been evaluated for whether or not this injury will require surgery. Reid didn’t rule him out for this week when discussing his status.

“I know Xavier is the big question. He’s rehabbing and working his shoulder,” Reid said. “We’ll see where it goes, day by day, here. We’ll see where we end up.”

A potential Worthy replacement, rookie Jalen Royals, has been sidelined for a few weeks due to a knee injury, and was inactive for the team’s first game.

“Jalen is doing a good job with his rehab. We’ll just see how that ends up this week,” Reid said. “We’ve got a couple of days here that we’ve had. Guys are making good progress. But we’ll see where it rolls. If neither (Worthy nor Royals) play, we’ve got guys that we played with the other night that are good football players.”

The only wide receiver on the Chiefs’ practice squad they could promote if Worthy and/or Royals are out Sunday against the Eagles (1-0) is rookie Jimmy Holiday.

Kansas City is shorthanded at the position partly due to the absence of Rashee Rice, who is serving a six-game suspension for violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy. Rice was disciplined for his role in multiple car accidents on a Dallas freeway in 2024 and subsequently leaving the scene.

During Monday’s availability, Reid said he “didn’t have enough money to do all that” when asked if he planned to contact the NFL for an explanation as to why Chargers defensive lineman Teair Tart wasn’t ejected in Friday’s game for striking Travis Kelce.

“I don’t understand that by rule. I guess it’s open hand, fist, whatever, I don’t know all of that what their decision was on that but he definitely got hit in the head pretty hard,” Reid said.”I think it’s the open hand-closed hand deal. I don’t know how you determine that, but which hurts more.”

–Field Level Media