Start Xavier Worthy or Devaughn Vele? Week 9

Our Week 9 call

Start Xavier Worthy over Devaughn Vele in Week 9.

Market-based projections have Xavier Worthy at 10.5 points and Devaughn Vele at 10.4, a gap of 0.1. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip. No player market is posted for Xavier Worthy this week yet, so his 10.5 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 6, 7 and 8 (12.0, 11.4 and 8.0); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. No player market is posted for Devaughn Vele this week yet, so his 10.4 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 6 and 7 (10.4 and 10.3); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. Drafters take Xavier Worthy at ADP 109 and Devaughn Vele at 213.

What the market projects

No Week 9 player market is posted for Xavier Worthy yet. His market-based projections were 12.0, 11.4 and 8.0 points in Weeks 6, 7 and 8, an average of 10.5, which stands in until his Week 9 market posts.

No Week 9 player market is posted for Devaughn Vele yet. His market-based projections were 10.4 and 10.3 points in Weeks 6 and 7, an average of 10.4, which stands in until his Week 9 market posts.

The market-based projection for Devaughn Vele is 0.3 touchdowns (5 market sources).

That puts Xavier Worthy 0.1 points ahead of Devaughn Vele on these projections.

Week 9 matchups

Xavier Worthy and KC host NYJ on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

NYJ allowed 28.5 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 8 games, the 9th fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 121 yards and 1.1 touchdowns a game against NYJ.

Devaughn Vele and NO host CLE on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

CLE allowed 29.3 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 8 games, the 12th fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 137 yards and 0.9 touchdowns a game against CLE.

By points allowed to the position, Devaughn Vele has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Xavier Worthy is not on the injury report.

Devaughn Vele is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 9

Through Week 8, Xavier Worthy played 84 percent of KC snaps, drew 19 percent of the targets, earned 26 percent of the air yards and had 9 percent of the red zone chances.

Xavier Worthy, Week 4 against LV: 45 of 60 snaps, 7 targets and 4 catches for 70 yards.

Xavier Worthy, Week 6 against LAC: 51 of 61 snaps, 7 targets and 7 catches for 73 yards.

Xavier Worthy, Week 7 against SEA: 46 of 53 snaps, 6 targets and 3 catches for 11 yards.

Xavier Worthy, Week 8 against DEN: 65 of 69 snaps, 6 targets and 3 catches for 13 yards.

Through Week 7, Devaughn Vele played 91 percent of NO snaps, drew 18 percent of the targets, earned 24 percent of the air yards and had 10 percent of the red zone chances.

Devaughn Vele, Week 4 against ATL: 66 of 74 snaps, 9 targets and 6 catches for 54 yards, 1 touchdown.

Devaughn Vele, Week 5 against MIN: 43 of 45 snaps, 6 targets and 4 catches for 26 yards.

Devaughn Vele, Week 6 against NYG: 66 of 72 snaps, 6 targets and 3 catches for 42 yards.

Devaughn Vele, Week 7 against PIT: 51 of 57 snaps, 5 targets and 5 catches for 54 yards, 1 touchdown.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Xavier Worthy played 14 games for KC and scored 109.9 PPR points, 7.9 a game, finishing WR59.

He caught 42 of 73 targets for 532 yards and 1 touchdown, with 6 red zone targets and 339 air yards.

He was on the field for 70 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, Devaughn Vele played 13 games for NO and scored 66.3 PPR points, 5.1 a game, finishing WR95.

He caught 25 of 39 targets for 293 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 4 red zone targets and 259 air yards.

He was on the field for 51 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 9 calls

• Start Xavier Worthy over Denzel Boston.
• Start DJ Moore over Xavier Worthy.
• Start Xavier Worthy over Jalen Coker.
• Start Chris Godwin Jr. over Devaughn Vele.
• Start Denzel Boston over Devaughn Vele.
• Start DJ Moore over Devaughn Vele.