In Week 1, the Chiefs will face the Ravens on Thursday Night Football with a revamped offense and will be looking for a third consecutive win.
Unlike last year, Kansas City’s stars are ready to play and healthy, so the Chiefs are poised to repeat last year’s epic AFC Championship win. Although the team didn’t perform well in Week 1 against the Lions in 2023, they are in much better shape this time around.
Some players are ready for monster games to start the year. Let’s look at the best bets for Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Rashee Rice and Isiah Pacheco for Week 1.
Available at DraftKings Sportsbook, this bet is one that saw Patrick Mahomes consistently achieve this yardage in eight of his first nine games in 2023, averaging just under 33 yards per game during that span.
We’ve seen Mahomes use his legs frequently against top defenses. Against the Ravens in the AFC title game, he managed just 15 rushing yards, even though the last three plays were all knee kicks. In the Super Bowl against the 49ers, Mahomes ran for 66 yards, leading the Chiefs.
Baltimore led the NFL in sacks (60) last season, and Mahomes won’t be afraid to run away from pass rushers. Expect him to make a few runs and surpass that total.
Unlike last season, Travis Kelce is healthy now and may have had his worst statistical season since his early years, but he proved in the playoffs that he is still a top-notch pass receiver by averaging over 88 yards per game.
He caught 11 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown in that AFC Championship game against the Ravens and should continue to be heavily involved. First-round rookie Xavier Worthy’s ability to stretch defenses will give Kelce additional room to operate underneath.
Kelce managed that prop in six of his first seven games and nine of 15 overall. He may not be a 1,300-yard player at this point, but he’s still more than capable of easily managing 57 yards in Week 1. You can also find that prop on DraftKings.
This is an alternate receiving line available at FanDuel Sportsbook. After Rashee Rice became the starter, he became Mahomes’ primary target. Rice had 92 targets in the last 11 games compared to Kelce’s 86, and he managed at least eight catches five times.
Rice only averaged 4.8 yards of depth of target, so he’s often involved in screen passes and short, quick throws that almost serve as running plays. These catches quickly drive up his pass-catching total, giving him excellent value at +205 odds (bet $10, win $20.50).
The Ravens will likely focus on keeping Kelce in check after his monstrous play in the playoffs, and Rice should take advantage of that reduced attention.
With Jerick McKinnon out and Clyde Edwards-Helaire on the reserve/non-football injured list, Isiah Pacheco should be in control of the passing attempts. Samaje Perine could eventually fill that role, but he is still learning the offense and won’t be ready for significant playing time on Thursday.
Pacheco has vacated that prop in seven of his 14 regular-season games in 2023, but that was with a tighter backfield. He worked hard in the offseason to improve his pass-catching skills, and this is his first chance to show he can handle a true dual-threat workload.
Much like Rice, Pacheco will benefit from a strong Ravens defensive front that should force Mahomes to get the ball out of his hands quickly. With only 15 yards needed, Pacheco could capitalize on that opportunity with just a single screen pass. It’s going to be a great season for the third-year running back, and we may not see his chance at such a low pass reception for much longer.
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The odds are updated regularly and are subject to change.
