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There are five games in the books -- with 12 more to go. The Kansas City Chiefs are taking their bye week in Week 6, so it's time to dish out some midseason awards.
The Arrowhead Pride writing staff members each had one vote for our seven midseason awards. There are 10 contributors voting, so there will be 10 votes tallied for each award. In this post, we'll reveal our top offensive rookie to this point of the season.
VOTING: WR Xavier Worthy (10)
There is no question that Xavier Worthy is the clear frontrunner for the Chiefs' offensive rookie of the year to this point. Since the Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins, they ahve lacked a wide receiver with the elite speed to stretch defenses and beat them deep. All of that changed during the 2024 NFL Draft when the Buffalo Bills made a surprising trade with the Chiefs, allowing Kansas City to move up and select Worthy in the first round. He quickly made headlines, breaking the combine's 40-yard dash record with a blazing 4.21 time.
Worthy wasn't expected to play a significant role in the offense early on. That changed when the Chiefs' big-name free-agent signing, Hollywood Brown, went down with an injury in the first game of the preseason. Suddenly, the spotlight was on Worthy, and he wasted no time proving he was ready for the challenge.
In his first NFL game, Worthy made an unforgettable debut, scoring a touchdown on his very first touch and sending a message to the entire league: his speed wasn't just a combine stat -- it translated to the field.
Later that night, he torched the defense again for his second score, showing his ability to take the top off any secondary.
The pressure continued to mount when second-year star wideout Rashee Rice suffered a knee injury against the Chargers. Once again, Worthy rose to the occasion, hauling in a 54-yard bomb from Patrick Mahomes, providing the spark the Chiefs needed in a tightly contested game.
So far this season, Worthy has recorded 12 receptions for 179 yards and two receiving touchdowns, along with six rushes for 42 yards and two additional scores. With both Rice and Brown sidelined for extended periods, Worthy's role will only expand. Head coach Andy Reid has been creative in getting him free releases, a crucial adjustment as Worthy has occasionally struggled when defenders manage to jam him at the line. Still, his impact on the Chiefs' offense is undeniable.
Worthy is not just on his way to an excellent rookie season; he's already changing the way defenses prepare for the Chiefs. His speed, playmaking ability, and resilience under pressure make him the clear standout for the bye-week top offensive rookie honors, and the best is yet to come.