Xavier Worthy Shatters 40-Yard Dash Record at NFL Combine—What His Historic Run Means for the 2025 Draft

Kansas City, Mo. — Xavier Worthy looks poised to add another burst of speed to a Kansas City Chiefs offense that has missed consistent down-field threats in the first month of the season. The rookie wide receiver, who sat out Thursday’s practice with shoulder and ankle issues, was back on the field Friday and is on track to suit up for Sunday night’s marquee matchup against the Detroit Lions at Arrowhead Stadium. Team officials listed Worthy as “questionable,” but head coach Andy Reid sounded optimistic. “He got good work in today and handled everything we asked,” Reid said after Friday’s session. “We’ll monitor him through the weekend, but he’s trending the right way.” That echoes multiple league reports predicting the first-round pick will be active unless he experiences a setback during pregame warm-ups. Why Sunday matters • Primetime stage: Kansas City-Detroit is the lone Sunday Night Football contest, guaranteeing national exposure. • Secondary mismatch: Detroit’s defense has surrendered the NFL’s fifth-highest completion rate on throws of 20-plus yards. Worthy’s 4.21-second 40-yard dash can exploit that vulnerability. • Fantasy football impact: In PPR formats, the Lions allow the third-most points to opposing slot receivers. Worthy has aligned inside on 61 % of his snaps, making him a high-upside Flex or DFS captain play. Injury timeline Week 4: Tweaked ankle late vs. Bengals, played through discomfort. Week 5: Took a hard shot to the right shoulder against Jacksonville, left briefly before returning. Week 6 (current): Limited Wednesday, DNP Thursday, full Friday. Medical staff fitted him with extra padding around the shoulder, and trainers taped the ankle for additional stability. Key stats through five games • 23 receptions, 287 yards, 2 TDs • 12.5 yards per catch (second among KC receivers) • 4 missed tackles forced, showcasing trademark elusiveness Locker-room buzz Quarterback Patrick Mahomes praised his rookie target’s preparation: “He spends late nights in the film room. When you combine that with world-class speed, it’s dangerous.” Veteran tight end Travis Kelce added, “Defenses already have to worry about Tyreek-like explosiveness again. It opens everything underneath for the rest of us.” What it means for the Chiefs A healthy Worthy compels defenses to keep a safety deep, creating lighter boxes for Isiah Pacheco and more single coverage for Kelce. If the Lions bracket Kelce with a linebacker-safety combo, Worthy could see season-high targets on vertical concepts such as four-verts and deep over routes that exploit Detroit’s Cover-3 looks. Upcoming schedule After Detroit, Kansas City travels to Denver before a Week 8 bye. The extra rest should help Worthy fully recover, but the next two outings present favorable secondaries ranked 24th and 22nd in explosive-play rate allowed. Fantasy managers and prop-bettors may want to act before Worthy’s usage — and public perception — spikes. Bottom line All signs point to Xavier Worthy suiting up Sunday night with minimal limitations. His return injects badly needed vertical juice into the Chiefs’ offense, offers immediate fantasy relevance, and could force Detroit to choose between doubling Kelce or respecting Worthy’s speed. If the rookie delivers under the primetime lights, the narrative around Kansas City’s receiving corps — and Worthy’s own Rookie of the Year candidacy — could shift in a hurry.