Richard Cockerill gives a place at centre to Smith who broke a thumb in pre-season and made only a short appearance as a replacement in the league fixture against Harlequins a fortnight ago.
Sam Harrison is ruled out after taking a knock in the win over the Ospreys last Friday and his place at scrum-half is taken by David Mélé, while Jordan Crane returns at No8.
Miles Benjamin faces his former club, and Henry Purdy, an England Under-20s international, comes in on the other wing with Blaine Scully on international duty with the USA.
French prop Jérôme Schuster is brought into the matchday squad for the first time since a summer switch from Perpignan.
Tigers got their LV= Cup campaign off to a good start at Welford Road last Friday with a bonus-point victory over the Ospreys with a squad featuring four debutants and three other players involved in a senior matchday at Welford Road for the first time.
Director of rugby Cockerill said: “It was good to see the young lads step up and play well in a competitive first-team game. Some of those young guys are in the team this week and will have to step up again. There’s a bit of experience with Boris, Jordan and Scotty Hamilton in there to hold it together.
“Worcester will be a new challenge for this team. They won last week and will be looking to gain some momentum so it is down to our guys to back up last week’s performance in a game away from home.”
Five Leicester players are with England this weekend, and Marcos Ayerza and Pablo Matera are with Argentina. Tigers are without Anthony Allen, Gonzalo Camacho, Tom Croft, Vereniki Goneva, Rob Hawkins, Terrence Hepetema, Ryan Lamb, Logovi’i Mulipola, Scott Steele, Mathew Tait and Manu Tuilagi due to injury.
Tigers will wear the club's white alternate kit at Sixways.
For Worcester, Andy Symons, who played five games for Tigers, starts at centre while back-rower Richard de Carpentier, who made one LV= Cup appearance for Leicester, is among the Warriors replacements.
Friday's game is not being covered for live TV broadcast. It will be part of the ITV4 highlights package at 8pm Sunday.
Leicester Tigers (v Worcester Warriors, Sixways, Friday 7.45pm)
15 Scott Hamilton
14 Henry Purdy
13 Matt Smith
12 Javiah Pohe
11 Miles Benjamin
10 Owen Williams
9 David Mélé
1 Boris Stankovich (c)
2 Harry Thacker
3 Fraser Balmain
4 Joe Cain
5 Sebastian de Chaves
6 Michael Noone
7 Jamie Gibson
8 Jordan Crane
Replacements
16 Neil Briggs
17 Tom Bristow
18 Jérôme Schuster
19 Tom Price
20 Harry Wells
21 George Tresidder
22 Pasqualle Dunn
23 Perry Humphreys
Worcester Warriors
15 Ben Howard
14 James Stephenson
13 Max Stelling
12 Andy Symons
11 Ravai Fatiaki
10 Paul Warwick
9 Jonny Arr
1 Ofa Fainga'anuku
2 Chris Brooker
3 Rob O'Donnell
4 James Percival
5 Mariano Galarza
6 Sam Betty
7 Jake Abbott
8 Jonathan Thomas (C)
Replacements
16 Ed Shervington
17 Jeremy Becasseau
18 Euan Murray
19 Christian Scotland-Williamson
20 Richard de Carpentier
21 George de Cothi
22 Ignacio Mieres
23 Dean Hammond
