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Week 1 of the 2026/27 NFL season comes to a conclusion with an AFC West showdown at Arrowhead Stadium. Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs host the Denver Broncos in the first Monday Night Football game of the season.
Here are the best DFS picks for Monday night’s AFC West showdown. Be sure to check out our NFL betting trends page too for game data, odds and player prop insights.
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Broncos-Chiefs DFS Picks
| Pos | Player | Matchup | FPPG | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MVP |
 👑Rashee Rice |
DEN @ KC | 19.1 | $14,100 |
| FLEX |
 Patrick Mahomes |
DEN @ KC | 21.6 | $9,600 |
| FLEX |
 Xavier Worthy |
DEN @ KC | 7.9 | $6,600 |
| FLEX |
 Courtland Sutton |
DEN @ KC | 12.9 | $8,000 |
| FLEX |
 J.K. Dobbins |
DEN @ KC | 12.2 | $6,400 |
| FLEX |
 Wil Lutz |
DEN @ KC | 8.0 | $5,200 |
Rashee Rice, KC/WR/MVP ($14,100)
The Chiefs will hope to start the season on the right foot after being swept in the season series against the Broncos last year. Kansas City’s star WR will have a difficult matchup against Patrick Surtain and the Denver defense. Rice saw high volume in his lone meeting with Denver last season, but was held to 38 yards on six receptions. His nine targets in that game were the second-most on the team, and a clear sign of how often Mahomes looks for his WR1 when he’s available.
In his eight games played last season, Rice saw a 26.5% target share and finished the season with 53 receptions for 571 yards. 414 of those yards came after the catch, an area Rice usually excels in, but was limited against the Broncos. His YAC and playmaking ability give him a high ceiling if he can turn one of his many targets into a big play. While his matchup is difficult, his sheer volume of targets is worth taking a chance on in this division rivalry matchup.
Patrick Mahomes, KC/QB ($9,600)
The overall consensus on Mahomes seems pessimistic heading into his first game back from a season-ending knee injury. The matchup is tough, but adding star RB Kenneth Walker III could make it easier to move the ball through the air by giving the offense a legitimate run threat that keeps defenses honest.
Mahomes also enters with his full cast of weapons — a luxury he hasn’t always had in recent seasons. Rice and Xavier Worthy can both be fit into a stack for Monday night, each filling a different role in the Chiefs’ offense. Travis Kelce remains his favorite target, and Walker has proven to be a capable receiver out of the backfield as well. Kansas City has more ways to attack this Denver defense than in prior meetings.
Xavier Worthy, KC/WR ($6,600)
We prefaced the Worthy selection in our Mahomes breakdown, and the speedy WR could hold major value at a $6,600 price point. The former first-round pick enters his third season in the league, having yet to break out into the player many believed he could be, joining a QB like Mahomes in Kansas City. Playing a full season opposite a star WR like Rice could go a long way in helping Worthy see softer coverage and use the blazing-fast speed he was so highly touted for.
Denver kept the speedster at bay in the lone matchup last season, allowing just three receptions for 25 yards to the then-sophomore. The addition and availability of Walker and Rice could open up the door to Worthy getting behind the defense, and there’s no better QB in the league to get him the ball than his own. Worthy should be treated as a high-risk, high-reward play that could easily surpass his value due to his cheaper price point.
Cortland Sutton, DEN/WR ($8,000)
Denver WR Cortland Sutton is coming off his fifth consecutive season leading the Broncos in target share, seeing 124 targets last year. His connection with QB Bo Nix is well established, though the addition of star WR Jaylen Waddle will inevitably shift some of those targets. Waddle will also draw defensive attention away from the veteran, which could open up more favorable looks for Sutton on the outside.
Sutton was shadowed by former Chiefs All-Pro CB Trent McDuffie in both matchups against Kansas City last season, finishing with 4 receptions in each game and averaging 49.5 yards per contest. With McDuffie now in Los Angeles, Sutton should see softer coverage, and clearly has the trust of his young QB to be fed the ball consistently.
J.K. Dobbins, DEN/RB ($6,400)
J.K. Dobbins enters the season as Denver’s RB1 despite some injury concerns during training camp. The former Ravens draft pick will share carries with RJ Harvey and rookie Jonah Coleman but should handle the majority of early-down work and goal-line touches. When healthy, Dobbins has been highly efficient, averaging 5.2 yards per carry throughout his career.
He was on pace for what could have been a career year before a season-ending foot injury in Week 10 last season, tracking toward 1,300-plus rushing yards before going down. Now fully healthy, the 27-year-old has plenty of motivation to recapture that form — and a strong start could help him distance himself from the competition in what is a crowded backfield.
Will Lutz, DEN/K ($5,200)
We round out our MNF Week 1 DFS lineup with Broncos K Will Lutz. Kansas City was a top-10 red-zone defense last season and could force the new-look Denver offense into several FG attempts in the opener. Lutz was efficient last year, making 28 of 32 FG attempts and going a perfect 39-of-39 on extra points.
His best game of the season came against the Chiefs in Week 11, going 5-of-5 on FG attempts, including a game-winner. For his career against Kansas City, Lutz is 9-of-12 on FGs and 19-of-19 on extra points. With the Chiefs’ red-zone defense expected to limit TDs, Lutz should see plenty of opportunities on Monday night.
Photo Credit: REUTERS
