Xavier Worthy, Marquise Brown Expected To Bring Big Plays To Kansas City Offense
Kansas City Chiefs wide receivers Xavier Worthy and Marquise Brown are expected to bring big plays back to the Kansas City offense this season, according to Adam Teicher of ESPN. While the Chiefs finished the season with the seventh-most total passing yards last season, they were near the bottom with just eight plays of 40 yards or more. This is a significant reason why the Chiefs brought in veteran Marquise Brown, who finished near the top of all receivers last season with 84.6 air yards per game last season. In addition, with the 28th overall selection of this year's NFL Draft, the Chiefs selected Xavier Worthy from Texas, who set a new record in the 40-yard dash at the combine. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes expressed, "I think we've done a great job of mastering the intermediate and short stuff, but we want to get back to having that part of the offense as well." While it is currently unknown who will emerge as alpha in this wide receiver room amid a potential multi-game suspension for Rashee Rice, both of these wideouts will raise Mahomes' weekly ceiling due to their game-changing speed.
Patrick Mahomes Building Trust With Marquise Brown
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown signed a one-year deal with the organization this offseason, and he has been heavily involved in the passing attack during OTAs and minicamp. The 2019 first-round pick has a path to the No. 1 wide receiver role, especially with Rashee Rice's legal troubles and Xavier Worthy's (hamstring) injury that is keeping him out of practice. Brown said he is building chemistry with Patrick Mahomes early in camp. "It has been good, from when we first started going back in Dallas until now," Brown said. "Just keep improving. He's trusting me more, so that's good." While "Hollywood" has not lived up to his first-round status, he has a 1,000-yard season under his belt and has hauled in 313 passes for 3,644 yards, and 28 touchdowns through his first 72 games with the Baltimore Ravens and Arizona Cardinals. He's unlikely to be a volume hog with Kansas City, but he should have chances for several spike weeks catching passes from the best quarterback of his career.
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid praised new wide receiver Marquise Brown at organized team activities on Wednesday. "Hollywood (Brown) does a nice job at receiver. Looks like he and Pat are developing a chemistry," Reid said. Anytime Mahomes is developing chemistry with a receiver, fantasy managers should take notice. The speedy Brown made a highlight-reel, one-handed catch during 7-on-7 drills on Wednesday and appears to have put the heel injury that bothered him last year in the rearview mirror. Tight end Travis Kelce is going to remain a favorite target of Mahomes in 2024 as long as he's healthy, but the 26-year-old Brown has an opportunity to become heavily involved as well, especially with Rashee Rice likely to be hit with a suspension from the league. The former 25th overall pick by Arizona in 2019 out of Oklahoma had a 1,000-yard receiving season in his final season in Baltimore in 2021.
Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach acknowledged that new wide receiver Marquise Brown could have a lucrative role with the team in 2024. With Brown now on the roster, the Chiefs feel better about their situation at the receiver position prior to the draft than they would have otherwise. Brown's role could be even more important with Rashee Rice's uncertain future following his arrest on charges stemming from a car crash in March. As things stand right now, Rice, Brown and Justin Watson are the team's top three receivers, with Skyy Moore and Kadarius Toney behind them. The 26-year-old Brown, the former 25th overall pick in 2019 by the Cardinals out of Oklahoma, had two disappointing seasons in the desert in which he played in just 26 games due to injuries. But if he can stay healthy in 2024 and Rice faces a suspension, he could be a real value pick in fantasy drafts.
Marquise Brown Signs One-Year Deal With The Chiefs
Free agent wide receiver Marquise Brown signed a one-year, $11 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday. Brown will pair with superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes and provide the Chiefs a big play wideout the team has been lacking since Tyreek Hill. Brown will be Kansas City's third option in the passing game behind Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice. He provides Mahomes with a reliable, speedy target and should bounce back in 2024 after managing 51 catches for 574 yards and four touchdowns with the Cardinals last season. It will be tough for Hollywood to replicate his final season with Baltimore, where he hauled in 91 passes for 1,008 yards and six touchdowns. Brown should see a fantasy boost with his new team and is borderline WR3 heading into early 2024 drafts.
Arizona Cardinals impending free-agent wide receiver Marquise Brown is set to leave in free agency this offseason, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. General manager Monti Ossenfort can upgrade the receiver position high in the draft, as the Cardinals have 13 overall picks in 2024. Brown, 26, finished last season on Injured Reserve due to a heel injury and played in 14 games in his second year in the desert. He finished with just 51 receptions on 101 targets for 574 yards and four touchdowns, and it didn't help that quarterback Kyler Murray got a late start to the season while rehabbing from a torn ACL in 2022. The former first-round pick of the Ravens in 2019 out of Oklahoma is an injury risk, but he could be a draft bargain in 2024 if he stays healthy and lands in a good situation.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marquise Brown (heel) has been placed on Injured Reserve, according to head coach Jonathan Gannon. It means that Brown will miss the final two games of the 2023 season after aggravating a heel injury in Week 15. Injuries were obviously partly to blame, but the 26-year-old had the worst season of his career in 2023, finishing with 51 catches for 574 yards and four touchdowns on 101 targets in 14 games. He ended up playing only three full games with quarterback Kyler Murray this year and only had one notable performance while working with Murray. There will be a lot of changes coming for the Cardinals franchise this offseason, and Brown could very well find himself playing somewhere else in 2024, especially since he'll be an unrestricted free agent in March.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marquise Brown (heel) was listed as a non-participant in practice on Thursday for the second straight day this week. Brown missed the Week 16 loss to the Chicago Bears and was lifted from his last two games early due to his heel injury. In fact, because of those early exits, the 26-year-old has not caught a pass since Week 12 (Arizona had a bye in Week 14). With nothing left to play for in 2023 besides draft positioning, the Cardinals have no reason to rush Brown back into the fold in these last two weeks of the regular season. Even if Brown were to return to practice on Friday and play this Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, he'd be far too risky for fantasy managers to rely on with a championship on the line. Rondale Moore, Greg Dortch and rookie Michael Wilson could see added opportunities if Brown misses a second straight game.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marquise Brown (heel) was listed as a non-participant in the team's practice on Wednesday. Brown aggravated an ongoing heel injury in Week 15 and didn't practice last week or play in the Week 16 loss to the Chicago Bears. It doesn't look like the 26-year-old is on track to play this Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles and he hasn't caught a pass since Week 12, so fantasy managers shouldn't be planning on relying on him as they battle for a championship this weekend. There's really no reason for the Cardinals to bring Brown back for the final two regular season games if he's not fully healthy. Another absence from Brown would create more opportunities for tight end Trey McBride and wideouts Rondale Moore, Greg Dortch and rookie Michael Wilson.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marquise Brown (heel) has been ruled out for Week 16 versus the Chicago Bears, head coach Jonathan Gannon announced. The injury limited Brown to just 32 percent of the Cardinals' offensive snaps last weekend, and he also missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday. It's been a frustrating year for the 26-year-old who has just 51 catches, 574 yards, and four touchdowns through parts of 14 games. Rondale Moore, Greg Dortch, and Michael Wilson will all see increased opportunities with Brown sidelined this weekend, as will breakout tight end Trey McBride.
