Start Xavier Worthy or Khalil Shakir? Week 9

Our Week 9 call

Start Khalil Shakir over Xavier Worthy in Week 9.

Market-based projections have Khalil Shakir at 10.4 points and Xavier Worthy at 10.5, a gap of 0.0. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip. No player market is posted for Khalil Shakir this week yet, so his 10.4 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 6 and 8 (11.1 and 9.8); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. 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. Drafters take Khalil Shakir at ADP 103 and Xavier Worthy at 109.

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 Khalil Shakir yet. His market-based projections were 11.1 and 9.8 points in Weeks 6 and 8, an average of 10.4, which stands in until his Week 9 market posts.

The market-based projection for Khalil Shakir is 0.4 touchdowns (5 market sources).

That puts Xavier Worthy 0.0 points ahead of Khalil Shakir 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.

Khalil Shakir and BUF visit MIN on Monday at 8:15 PM ET.

MIN allowed 25.9 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 7 games, the 4th fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 123 yards and 0.6 touchdowns a game against MIN.

By points allowed to the position, Xavier Worthy has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Xavier Worthy is not on the injury report.

Khalil Shakir 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 8, Khalil Shakir played 64 percent of BUF snaps, drew 20 percent of the targets, earned 11 percent of the air yards and had 10 percent of the red zone chances.

Khalil Shakir, Week 4 against NE: 45 of 59 snaps, 8 targets and 7 catches for 82 yards.

Khalil Shakir, Week 5 against LAR: 44 of 64 snaps, 3 targets and 3 catches for 80 yards.

Khalil Shakir, Week 6 against LV: 41 of 68 snaps, 6 targets and 4 catches for 34 yards, 1 touchdown.

Khalil Shakir, Week 8 against BAL: 55 of 82 snaps, 6 targets and 5 catches for 64 yards.

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, Khalil Shakir played 16 games for BUF and scored 166.4 PPR points, 10.4 a game, finishing WR36.

He caught 72 of 95 targets for 719 yards and 4 touchdowns, with 13 red zone targets and 178 air yards.

He was on the field for 60 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 9 calls

• Start Xavier Worthy over Denzel Boston.
• Start Xavier Worthy over Devaughn Vele.
• Start DJ Moore over Xavier Worthy.
• Start Chris Godwin Jr. over Khalil Shakir.
• Start Khalil Shakir over Denzel Boston.
• Start Khalil Shakir over Devaughn Vele.