Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs
Final Score: Chiefs 31, Broncos 10
Writer: Steven Pintado (@coachstevenp)
A battle between two AFC West division rivals saw the Broncos and Chiefs square off in an ugly early-season game. It ultimately came down to which team could run the ball effectively and create turnovers. Kansas City won both of those battles.
The Chiefs’ offense ran through Kenneth Walker III, as he dominated with more than 20 touches in the game. That element has been missing from Kansas City’s offense, and his presence helped take pressure off Patrick Mahomes in the passing game. With a legitimate rushing attack behind him, Mahomes was able to handle Denver’s pass rush and keep the offense moving. On the Broncos’ side of the ball, outside of literally one drive early in the first quarter, their offense looked concerning. Bo Nix struggled and committed multiple turnovers, while not many other players were able to shine. Denver abandoned the running game too early, forcing Nix and the passing attack to carry the offense. That ended up hurting the Broncos for most of the game.
I’m not ready to say the Chiefs are BACK, but they have a new element to their offense that could make them scary moving forward. Meanwhile, the Broncos have some work to do with their play-calling and overall offensive efficiency.
Three Up
- Kenneth Walker III — Newcomer Kenneth Walker III showed exactly why he was the Super Bowl MVP and such a big signing for the Chiefs. He dominated with more than 20 touches and 150 all-purpose yards as the offense ran through him.
- Patrick Bryant — While everyone was wondering who would emerge as the Broncos’ WR1, it ended up being second-year receiver Pat Bryant. He looked like a safety blanket for Bo Nix over the middle of the field and was one of the few bright spots in Denver’s passing game.
- Patrick Mahomes Magic — The Mahomes magic came back to life in this game. There were concerns about how he would look coming off the injury, but he looked comfortable moving around and using his legs. Mahomes escaped pressure and made some crazy plays with his feet that only he seems capable of making.
Three Down
- Passing Games — Neither passing offense was particularly impressive. Mahomes had some shaky throws throughout the game, while Nix committed multiple turnovers and struggled to push the ball downfield.
- Rashee Rice — Yes, Rice scored a touchdown, but his target share was concerning. He finished fourth on the team in targets and was mostly a nonfactor outside of his touchdown catch.
- Jaylen Waddle — Waddle’s Broncos debut did not go as planned. The new receiver finished with fewer than 10 receiving yards and dropped a key third-down pass that he should have caught.
Denver Broncos
Quarterback
Bo Nix: 17/28, 131 Yards, TD, INT | 2 Carries, 3 Yards, Fumble (Lost)
Bo Nix struggled against the Chiefs, as Kansas City’s pass rush created pressure throughout the night. Denver also relied heavily on short passes, limiting Nix’s opportunities to push the ball downfield. It’s unclear how much his injury played a role, but he did look better when rolling out of the pocket.
The biggest concern was the turnovers. Nix threw a bad interception and had the ball come out of his hands at least three times, although only one resulted in a lost fumble. Overall, the short passing game and turnover issues made for a disappointing performance.
Running Back
J.K. Dobbins: 8 Carries, 36 Yards
Starting running back J.K. Dobbins had a game to forget. He split snaps with RJ Harvey early in the game, which was expected, but Dobbins struggled to get much going on the ground. The Chiefs’ run defense dominated up the middle and didn’t give him many open lanes to work with.
Dobbins did break off a 17-yard run, showing that he still has some speed coming off his injury, but there weren’t many other positives. He was a nonfactor in the passing game and even lost some touches in the red zone. Dobbins could end up being a touchdown-dependent fantasy option this season, which becomes even more concerning if he isn’t guaranteed the valuable red-zone opportunities.
RJ Harvey: 3 Carries, 18 Yards | 4 Targets, 4 Receptions, 23 Yards
The 1B in the Broncos’ backfield, RJ Harvey, fared a little better than his teammate. One concerning development early was Harvey returning kicks, which was certainly an eye-opener for his potential offensive workload. When he was on offense, though, Harvey looked explosive on his limited carries.
His real value came in the passing game, where he finished with four receptions. Most of those touches came on dump-offs as a quick outlet for Bo Nix, but Harvey continued to show his explosiveness whenever the ball was in his hands. The Broncos may need to ramp up Harvey’s touches moving forward, but it’s still early in the season.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Jaylen Waddle: 3 Targets, 1 Reception, 2 Yards
The big addition to the Broncos’ offense this offseason, Jaylen Waddle, had a debut he would surely like to forget. Waddle finished with just one catch, a short 2-yard reception with a defender all over him. There didn’t seem to be much of a game plan to get Waddle involved early and take advantage of his speed. Denver didn’t utilize screens or many designed plays to get the ball in his hands, while Bo Nix rarely had enough time to look downfield for Waddle on deeper routes.
Waddle also had a critical drop on third down, failing to secure a slant over the middle that could have extended the drive for Denver. Almost everyone in the Broncos’ passing attack came up short in this game, so it’s hard to put all the blame on Waddle. This is a performance to forget and forgive as we hope for better days ahead.
Courtland Sutton: 5 Targets, 2 Receptions, 11 Yards
Last year’s WR1 for the Broncos, Courtland Sutton, also had a quiet game. Sutton was a nonfactor in the first half with zero targets, and his first reception didn’t come until midway through the third quarter. Like Waddle, Sutton was limited to a few short receptions without many opportunities downfield to make a play on the ball.
He still managed five targets, which is at least encouraging for his opportunity moving forward. The Chiefs played plenty of zone coverage, which isn’t where Sutton is at his best. We’ll have to hope for better days ahead for Sutton and this Broncos passing attack.
Pat Bryant: 6 Targets, 4 Receptions, 42 Yards
The biggest surprise for the Broncos’ offense was second-year receiver Patrick Bryant. Bryant was targeted early and often, especially during Denver’s only touchdown drive. He saw three targets for 32 yards on that possession alone, as the Broncos used a designed screen to get the ball in his hands and frequently worked him over the middle of the field. Bryant would go on to lead the team in targets, which was an encouraging sign for his role in the offense. It wasn’t a perfect performance, though, as he also committed a few costly penalties that hurt Denver offensively.
Denver seemed to get away from Bryant as the game went on, instead focusing on getting its two star receivers more involved. Still, this was an encouraging performance for the young receiver. The question is whether this type of involvement will be sustainable once the Broncos make a stronger effort to get their higher-paid receivers more opportunities.
Evan Engram: 5 Targets, 4 Receptions, 43 Yards, TD
Perhaps the biggest surprise for the Broncos was tight end Evan Engram, who had one of his best games since joining Denver. Engram caught the Broncos’ only touchdown of the game. It came on a broken play against zone coverage, as Engram worked toward the outside corner and found himself wide open for the score.
Engram also became a reliable underneath option for Bo Nix, especially in the second quarter. Like Pat Bryant, it’s fair to question whether this level of involvement is sustainable, but there was offseason hype that Engram would have a bigger role in the passing game. We saw that in Week 1, as he tied for second on the team in targets. That’s an encouraging sign for his fantasy value moving forward.
Adam Trautman: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 10 Yards
Troy Franklin: 1 Carry, 5 Yards | 1 Target
Kansas City Chiefs
Quarterback
Patrick Mahomes: 15/27, 184 Yards, 2 TD, INT | 4 Carries, 27 Yards, TD
We got the return of Patrick Mahomes! His performance on Monday Night Football was really a tale of two stories. The negative was that Mahomes didn’t take many shots downfield, as the Chiefs seemed focused on getting the ball out of his hands quickly to avoid Denver’s pass rush. He also missed a few throws that we are used to seeing him make. Overall, his performance as a passer left a little more to be desired.
As the magic man, though, Mahomes still looked like Mahomes. Whenever he needed to escape the pocket, he found a way to extend plays and pick up positive yards with his legs. His rushing touchdown in the first quarter was particularly impressive, as he avoided pressure, took off up the middle and fought through contact to get into the end zone.
His passing touchdowns benefited from his playmakers creating after the catch, while his interception appeared to be a miscommunication between him and Xavier Worthy. There may be some early struggles with the passing game, but Mahomes continues to find ways to get it done. More than anything, it was great to see Mahomes back on the field and looking mobile again.
Running Back
Kenneth Walker: 23 Carries, 173 Yards, TD | 6 Targets, 3 Receptions, 17 Yards, TD
Welcome K9 to Kansas City! The veteran running back dominated against a strong Broncos run defense. From the Chiefs’ opening drive, it was clear that Walker would be the focal point of the offense, as he handled almost all of the touches. It had been nearly two years since a Chiefs running back had recorded more than 20 carries in a game.
Walker looked fantastic, running with strength and physicality while still showing off his impressive speed. Kansas City consistently trusted him to pick up first downs in short-yardage situations, and he was heavily involved in the red zone. His best play of the day came on a 60-yard touchdown run, where he bounced outside and was simply gone.
Walker was just as involved as a receiver, tying for the team lead in targets. He also caught a forward pass late in the second half and turned it into a receiving touchdown. Walker looked like the workhorse running back the Chiefs desperately needed, and doing it against a strong division rival makes the performance even more impressive. He has high-end RB1 upside moving forward.
Kenneth Walker getting away from Zach Charbonnet might create the biggest RB breakout of all time 😭 pic.twitter.com/ixsRuDmH9k
— Sleeper (@SleeperHQ) September 15, 2026
Emmett Johnson: 8 Carries, 24 Yards | 2 Target, 2 Receptions, 44 Yards
Rookie running back Emmett Johnson flashed in this game, especially as a pass catcher. He had two receptions where he broke multiple tackles and turned them into big gains. It’s clear that Johnson is the backup in this offense and will mostly come onto the field on passing downs and to give Walker a breathe.
Still, he looked impressive with the limited touches he received, especially when he got the ball in open space. Johnson could end up being a top-tier handcuff in this Chiefs offense if something were to happen to Walker.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Rashee Rice: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 19 Yards, TD
Chiefs WR1 Rashee Rice had a decent fantasy performance, especially if you were fortunate enough to get the touchdown. Rice caught a screen in the red zone, fought through multiple defenders and powered his way into the end zone. Unfortunately, that was the highlight of his night.
The biggest concern was Rice seeing only two targets, tying Emmett Johnson in that category. While it wasn’t always easy to tell from the broadcast, Rice appeared to lack explosiveness and struggled to create separation on his routes. There were even times when a linebacker was able to stay with him in coverage.
The touchdown saved his fantasy performance, but the lack of targets and explosiveness are worth monitoring. Hopefully, this was simply a weird Week 1 performance for Rice rather than a sign of what his role will look like moving forward.
Xavier Worthy: 6 Targets, 3 Receptions, 18 Yards
Worthy led the Chiefs with six targets, but most of his opportunities came on short routes toward the outside. Given Worthy’s elite speed, I expected Kansas City to use him more as a downfield threat or find creative ways to get him the ball in space. Surprisingly, there weren’t even many designed screens to take advantage of his explosiveness.
The six targets were encouraging, but it was clear that the game plan called for Patrick Mahomes to get the ball out quickly and attack underneath. Hopefully, the Chiefs open up the offense more in the coming weeks and find ways to get Worthy in space, where his speed can become a bigger factor.
Travis Kelce: 5 Targets, 3 Receptions, 71 Yards
Future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce showed that he still has something left in the tank. In the third quarter, Kelce caught a short target, broke away from a defender and turned it into a 59-yard gain. He came about 5 yards short of finding the end zone on the play. Kelce clearly doesn’t have the speed he once did, but his chemistry with Patrick Mahomes still holds plenty of value. He played most of the offensive snaps despite his age and finished second on the team in targets. Kelce may no longer be the dominant fantasy option he once was, but he can still be a useful starting tight end for fantasy lineups.
Jake Briningstool: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 9 Yards
Noah Gray: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 5 Yards
Tyquan Thornton: 1 Target
Cyrus Allen: 1 Target
Photo by William Purnell/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter/X; @justinparadis.bsky.social on BlueSky)