Fantasy Football Heat Index: Bryce Young, Kenneth Walker, Xavier Worthy

Every Monday of the NFL regular season, we look at breakout performances from the weekend and analyze their potential for sustained success. We will rank these performances from 1-5 based on whether we believe they are momentary or long-term options for your fantasy teams.

Fantasy Football Heat Index

Quarterback

Bryce Young (QB – CAR)

Stats: 17-of-26, 158 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, five rushing attempts, 68 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown

Position Rank (pre-MNF): QB2 (27.1 points)

Analysis: Since returning from an early-season benching, Panthers quarterback Bryce Young has looked like a different player. He’s playing more like the poised, confident quarterback we saw at Alabama, and it’s translating to fantasy football success.

Thanks to a career-best 68 rushing yards, Young reached new heights in Carolina’s 36-30 upset victory over Arizona. He scored a career-high 27.12 fantasy points and is the current QB2 on the week. Over the past five weeks, Young has averaged 18.9 points per game and finished as the QB14 or better three times.

Looking ahead, Young has firmly cemented himself as a locked-in QB2 in Superflex formats. With a rematch against Tampa Bay (previous season-high 23.62 fantasy points in Week 13) on deck, some might wonder if Young has crept into the low-end QB1 fantasy start sit conversation.

Heat Index: 3

Running Back

Kenneth Walker (RB – SEA)

Stats: Eight rushing attempts, 31 rushing yards, eight receptions, 28 receiving yards

Position Rank (pre-MNF): RB26 (9.9 points)

Analysis: After missing two games with a calf injury, Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker returned to the lineup on Sunday. He immediately recaptured his No. 1 RB role until a fourth-quarter ankle injury sidelined him once again.

Before picking up his latest injury, Walker didn’t find much success against a stout Vikings defense. He only managed 31 yards on the ground, but his eight receptions salvaged the day in PPR formats. He’s the current RB26 in half-PPR scoring.

With a short week against Chicago on deck, Walker seems iffy, at best, to suit up this week. Assuming his oblique injury doesn’t limit him too much, it will be the Zach Charbonnet show in Week 17. If it remains an issue, No. 3 RB Travis Homer will take a bigger slice of the pie.

Heat Index: 1

Wide Receiver

Xavier Worthy (WR – KC)

Stats: Seven receptions, 65 receiving yards, one touchdown, three rushing attempts, 10 rushing yards

Position Rank (pre-MNF): WR12 (17 points)

Analysis: It’s been a rollercoaster first season for Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy, but the rookie has quietly become a consistent fantasy producer in recent weeks. Worthy has scored seven or more half-PPR points in six straight games — 14+ in half — showing a unique blend of floor and ceiling we haven’t seen all season.

One reason for Worthy’s breakout campaign is an increase in playing time. After averaging around 60% of the snaps in the first 12 games of the season, Worthy has been above the 80% mark in three straight games. He’s scored 7.1, 16.6 and 17 fantasy points in those contests.

Hollywood Brown‘s addition to Kansas City’s offense could throw a wrench into things eventually, but it didn’t impact Worthy’s production in Brow’s season debut. Worthy maintained his 80% snap-share and scored 17 fantasy points (WR12) on Saturday. He should be considered a WR3/Flex fantasy start sit option next week against Pittsburgh.

Heat Index: 4

Tight End

Chig Okonkwo (TE – TEN)

Stats: Nine receptions, 81 receiving yards, one two-point conversion

Position Rank (pre-MNF): TE2 (14.6 points)

Analysis: Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo saved his best game of the season for the fantasy football semi-finals. With Mason Rudolph back under center, Okonkwo saw season-high usage (nine receptions, 81 receiving yards on 11 targets) and is the current TE2 on the week.

That may look like an anomaly on the surface, but Okonkwo has popped off multiple times over the past month. He’s finished as the TE7 or better in three of the past five weeks and gets the lowly Jaguars defense next week. Championship teams likely have better options, but Okonkwo’s usage and matchup make him a sneaky low-end TE1 option in Week 17.

Heat Index: 3