The Kansas City Chiefs will be out for revenge when they take on the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium on Monday.
The Chiefs had a year to forget in 2025 as they missed out on the playoffs under coach Andy Reid. Kansas City struggled all season and finished with a 6-11 record and to make matters worse, they lost quarterback Patrick Mahomes to an ACL injury before the campaign was finished.
Denver beat the Chiefs twice in the regular season and finished the campaign with a 14-3 record, only to fall short in the playoffs due to an injury to quarterback Bo Nix.
Broncos vs. Chiefs betting tips and predictions
Under 43.5 Points (-110)
One benefit to Mahomes going down early was the fact he could rehab his injury before the end of last season. That means he is fit and raring to go this week in Week 1.
That is an instant boost to the Chiefs, but the fixture list has not been kind. Games against Denver are often tough, with the Broncos winning the last three meetings between the two teams.
The last six encounters have not surpassed 41 points and Denver's defense is likely to make life tough for Mahomes.
Mahomes is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but he is bound to be rusty in Week 1 after such a long lay-off. With that in mind, it makes sense to side with the unders in a fixture that is predominately low scoring.
Denver Broncos +2.5 (-115)
Not only does Mahomes have to deal with inactivity and an elite Denver secondary, he is without his starting left tackle Josh Simmons.
Mahomes may need to move out of the pocket more than he would like to and Denver's defense was one of the best last year. They conceded the second-fewest yards per game and they proved all season how they can grind and win close battles.
The Broncos have only improved their roster and have no injury woes ahead of Monday's battle, so the value lies with them covering the spread this week.
Denver finished last season with a 5-1 record and their roster will be fired up to lay down a marker for the rest of the campaign against one of their rivals for the AFC West title.
Jaylen Waddle to score a touchdown (+220)
Denver came agonisingly close to reaching the NFL Championship last season, but an injury to Nix late in the season ruined their chances.
Broncos were short of an elite receiver in 2025, but they moved quickly to address that when trading for Jaylen Waddle in March.
The former Miami Dolphins pass catcher had all sorts of issues to deal with last year and he never had consistent quarterback play to help his cause.
Despite all the setbacks, Waddle finished the 2025 campaign with 910 receiving yards and six touchdowns.
Denver's offense is pass heavy and coach Sean Payton will lean on him and Courtland Sutton to push the team downfield.
The fact that Denver's offense contains both Sutton and Waddle is a huge boost to the pair. Rather than one of those players being double-teamed, there should be plenty of opportunities for each player to break free and give Nix some easy passes as Denver look to keep the Kansas defense on the field.
This Week 1 matchup looks perfect for Waddle, with the Chiefs secondary now without cornerback Trent McDuffie. He joined the Los Angeles Rams in a trade in the off-season and Waddle will expect to get enough separation in the end zone.
Nix worked miracles at times last season with an average receiver room, but Waddle gives him a legitimate option to target regularly.
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Broncos vs. Chiefs odds
Denver Broncos | +115 |
Kansas City Chiefs | -135 |
Spread | KC Chiefs -2.5 |
Total | O/U 43.5 |
Broncos vs. Chiefs player props
Anytime touchdown
Kenneth Walker III (Kansas City Chiefs) | -115 |
J.K Dobbins (Denver Broncos) | +160 |
Rashee Rice (Kansas City Chiefs) | +175 |
Travis Kelce (Kansas City Chiefs) | +205 |
Jaylen Waddle (Denver Broncos) | +220 |
Courtland Sutton (Denver Broncos) | +245 |
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
