Xavier Worthy or Ladd McConkey Week 1 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Fantasy Football projections for WRs ahead of Brazil clash

Week 1 of the 2025 Fantasy Football season features a Friday night game in Brazil between the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers. Xavier Worthy and Ladd McConkey are expected to serve as the top wide receivers in this matchup. They both have plenty of value, but here's which one is a better pick.

Is Xavier Worthy a good pick for Fantasy Football Week 1?

Xavier Worthy turned in a solid rookie season with the Kansas City Chiefs last year, finishing as the overall WR33 in fantasy football. Some of his best performances came in the later weeks, including finishing as the weekly WR16 or better in each of his final three full games.

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The only potential issue with Worthy's fantasy outlook in 2025 is the eventual return of Rashee Rice, who could eclipse him as Patrick Mahomes' top wide receiver. This won't affect his Week 1 value against the Los Angeles Chargers, as Rice is serving a suspension and will be unavailable.

Is Ladd McConkey a good pick for Fantasy Football Week 1?

Ladd McConkey was one of the best overall rookies in the NFL last season during his impressive year with the Los Angeles Chargers. He finished as the WR12 in Fantasy Football as the featured target for Justin Herbert in their passing game.

The Chargers brought back Keenan Allen for the 2025 season and also selected Tre Harris in the NFL draft, but McConkey is expected to continue serving as their top passing target. He finished as the weekly WR27 or better in each of his final seven games last year in the same role, making him an attractive option in Week 1 lineup against the Chiefs.

Who to pick between Xavier Worthy and Ladd McConkey for Week 1?

Sportskeeda's Who Should I Start tool recommends using Ladd McConkey in Week 1 lineups over Xavier Worthy. Both wide receivers have plenty of upside in their current roles for elite offenses, but the Chargers' star holds superior projections this week.

It will be interesting to see if McConkey is impacted by the additional target competition this year, but he still maintains a favorable ceiling. Worthy will be playing in one of the most high-powered offenses in the NFL, but the Chiefs often prefer to spread the ball around to their deep group of weapons. This lowers his floor and contributes to why McConkey is the preferred pick for this week.

About the author

Adam Hulse is an NFL journalist at Sportskeeda with 4 years of experience. He is also the host of the podcast "Sports Talk with Adam Hulse."

Adam studied Communications at Villanova University and played American football at Pop Warner and as a high school Freshman. His favorite team are the Dallas Cowboys, and if Adam could lay his hands on a time machine, he would love to witness their glory years from the 1990s. The Cowboys' 27-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XXX is his favorite Super Bowl of all time.

Given his affinity for 'America's Team,' Adam's favorite players of all time include Emmitt Smith. Michael Irvin, Tony Romo and Dak Prescott.

Adam takes a lot of pride in his work, which naturally culminates into insightful content for his readers, performance analysis being his forte. When not writing about football, Adam spends a time on his podcast.

Know More

Chiefs Fans! Check out the latest Kansas City Chiefs Schedule and dive into the Chiefs Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Edited by Adam Hulse