Chiefs should have one massive regret when it comes to Xavier Worthy

The Kansas City Chiefs began the 2024 season with hopes of becoming the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowl championships. They've managed to keep that hope alive by pulling out 11 victories in their first 12 games, but the road to the Super Bowl appears to be getting more and more difficult.

The Chiefs are ranked No. 11 with an average margin of victory of 4.5 points, per TeamRankings.com. Of their 11 wins, nine were decided by a one-score margin. Since Week 9, their margin of victory has shrunk considerably. Kansas City's last three wins came against opponents who did not have winning records, but the Chiefs only managed to outscore those opponents by seven points combined.

Many of Kansas City's struggles have been pinned on the offense, which has been sputtering since the 2023 season when the Chiefs were forced to lean on their defense to carry them to an overtime victory in Super Bowl LVIII. During the offseason, general manager Brett Veach attempted to rejuvenate the offense by injecting the roster with speed at the wide receiver position.

Kansas City traded up four spots to select Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy with the No. 28 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Chiefs have been desperately searching for a deep-threat wideout ever since they traded away wide receiver Tyreek Hill, and Worthy's stock skyrocketed when he broke the 40-yard dash record at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine in February.

Chiefs may have overvalued speed in the draft once again

Still, the Chiefs may have been better off with Georgia wide receiver Ladd McConkey, who was selected by the Los Angeles Chargers with the No. 34 overall pick — just two spots after Kansas City's original selection.

Worthy has recorded 33 receptions for 407 yards and four receiving touchdowns in addition to 49 rushing yards and two scores on 11 carries. While the production has been promising, Worthy's brilliant games have been scattered among inconsistent performances. The rookie has posted less than 30 receiving yards in six games this season.

McConkey has proven to be a more polished player, and he's only gotten better with each snap. The Chargers rookie has notched 58 receptions for 815 yards and four touchdowns through 12 games, and he's only gotten better with each snap. He has posted 50-plus receiving yards in each of his past six games, including three games with 100-plus receiving yards. McConkey's 105 yards in the first half against the Atlanta Falcons were the most in a single half by any Chargers rookie since 1991, per Joe Reedy of the Associated Press.

If Worthy doesn't develop into a more consistent weapon, the Chiefs could be looking back at the draft with regret.

This wouldn't be the first time that Veach has made the mistake of chasing speed. Kansas City traded up to select wide receiver Mecole Hardman with the No. 56 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Instead, the Chiefs could have selected wide receiver DK Metcalf, who ultimately fell to the No. 64 overall pick. Veach even expressed regret about missing out on Metcalf in April — right before he traded up to select Worthy.