Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, December 6th at 8:20 PM ET
Location: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Betting Odds: KC -14, 51 total via Oddsshark
Network: NBC
Denver Broncos
Quarterback
Drew Lock (Sit)
Drew Lock and the entire Broncos quarterback room let their team down last weekend after admitting to all being in the same room without masks when Jeff Driskel tested positive for COVID-19. Lock has since tested negative and returned to practice in preparation for a visit to Arrowhead to take on a top 10 Chiefs defense that picked off Tom Brady twice and limited the Bucs to one score until the end of the 3rd quarter last weekend. Lock has thrown 11 interceptions in his last 6 games and has looked far from a viable NFL quarterback this season. It could ugly at Arrowhead.
Running Backs
Melvin Gordon (Sit, RB2), Philip Lindsay (Sit), Royce Freeman (Sit)
This 1-2 punch in Denver has a little bark with zero bite. Melvin Gordon remains the lead back (he led the team with 12 carries in the loss to the Saints) and sees plenty of goal-line work, however, he has a rushing touchdown in just 4 out of 10 games this season. He hasn’t managed to accumulate double-digit fantasy points in 3 of his last 4 appearances either mainly due to ball security issues, something he has been notorious for since entering the league. Phillip Lindsay had a shocking game against the Saints, carrying the ball for just 20 yards on 9 attempts whilst also mishandling a direct snap resulting in a lost fumble in the 1st half. He ceded work to Royce Freeman, who ended up leading the Broncos in yardage with a measly 50 yards. This running-back-by-committee backfield is a mess, I want no part of it from a fantasy perspective.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Jerry Jeudy (Start, WR2), Tim Patrick (Sit), DaeSean Hamilton (Sit), KJ Hamler (Sit), Noah Fant (Sit, TE2)
I do have an enormous sense of pity for Broncos fans who have to watch this offense knowing Courtland Sutton is at home recovering from an ACL tear. They have missed the former SMU wideout this season big time, and it shows. 1st round rookie Jerry Jeudy has flashed on occasion but poor quarterback play has hindered his progression through the season, as his 37 catches on 78 targets tell us. He had averaged 10 targets per game in the last 4 games with Lock at QB so expect him to be the best option in this receiving corps against the Chiefs. Low-WR2 numbers are achievable. Tim Patrick is 2nd on the team in target share (19%) and 2nd in air yards behind Jeudy. I just can’t see the Broncos getting enough opportunity against this Chiefs defense for Patrick to be a factor. The same applies to slot receiver DaeSean Hamilton and rookie KJ Hamler.
Noah Fant has had a torrid season again in Denver – the former 1st round pick sits outside the top 12 fantasy scorers at the TE position this season and has failed to find the endzone since Week 2. 3 or 4 catches for around 40-50 yards seems to be his ceiling at the minute.
Kansas City Chiefs
Quarterback
Patrick Mahomes (Start, QB1)
It is hard to imagine being disappointed in Patrick Mahomes‘ performance last week (31.28 fantasy points), but I was. The best player in football produced his 5th career 400-yard plus passing game, and 2nd this campaign. He fed Tyreek Hill to the tune of 3 touchdowns and 269 yards through the air. But, it could have and should have been 500+ yards and 4 TDs for Mahomes, who underthrew a wide-open Mecole Hardman for what should have been an 89-yard score. Still, it is hard to scoff at that with the elite production Mahomes is generating from the position this year. Those drafting him in the 1st round of fantasy drafts have been rewarded handsomely. He should annihilate this middling Broncos defense.
Running Backs
Clyde Edwards-Helaire (Start, RB2), LeVeon Bell (Sit)
The young rookie from LSU, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, has taken a backseat for much of this season as Andy Reid has unleashed an air-raid offense on most weeks this year. He is nothing more than an RB2 with touchdown-dependant upside every game. Saying that CEH has only scored in 4 of the Chiefs 11 games this season, topping 100+ yards on the ground just twice. The Broncos did give up 229 rushing yards to the Saints last week and if Mahomes goes bonkers again early, CEH could benefit from a positive game script. Le’Veon Bell remains fantasy irrelevant.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Tyreek Hill (Start, WR1), Sammy Watkins (Start, FLEX), Mecole Hardman (Sit), Travis Kelce (Start, TE1)
It says to start Tyreek Hill as a WR1 this week but what it really should say is start Hill as THE WR1 this weekend. Hill amassed a titanic 57.90 fantasy points last week, winning fantasy matchups singlehandedly. He will once again be the first look for Mahomes on all his reads this weekend, Hill is a set and forget in your lineup. The trickier decision is whether to go with either Sammy Watkins or Mecole Hardman in your FLEX spot. Watkins caught 4 passes on 7 targets but for just 38 yards on his return from multiple lower leg injuries. He was 3rd in the team in targets which bodes well for future production. He could have a nice game here and pop up in the endzone. Despite that underthrown pass from Mahomes last week, Hardman caught just 3 passes against the Bucs and hasn’t shown the big-play ability we saw last season. He is a hard sell to start this week.
Travis Kelce was a perfect 8 catches on 8 targets last week for 82 yards and the only disappointment was that he failed to notch his 8th receiving score of the year. Still, Kelce sits as the No.5 fantasy receiving option at the minute and puts up WR1 numbers every week. Start, set, forget, tune in, and enjoy the windfall.
-Benjamin Haller (@benjaminhaller1 on Twitter)