The Chiefs are heavy favorites at home when they open Week 6 of the 2023 NFL season against the Broncos on "Thursday Night Football." With the Chiefs favored by double-digit points in a game with a 47.5 O/U, it's "expected" that they will score more than 30 points and provide plenty of fantasy punch.
Denver is the worst defense in the NFL after five weeks, allowing a league-worst 36.2 points and 450 yards per game. Kansas City is allowing 16 points per game with a top-10 total defense.
That should lead one to believe that this will be a dominant Chiefs victory, with them doing most of the damage.
Knowing that, who should you play in fantasy, whether in seasonal leagues or DFS single-slates? Here are our lineup recommendations to start the week on TNF:
WEEK 6 FANTASY ADVICE:
Sleepers | Busts | Projections | Start 'em, sit 'em
Broncos: Who to start, sit in fantasy football on TNF
Sit: QB Russell Wilson
Wilson is the QB8 in fantasy through five weeks, and the reason is simple: He's throwing a ton while the Broncos' defense is getting steamrolled and the team is falling behind big-time early in games. That's helped him produce multiple TDs in four-of-five contests.
It's notable that in the past two weeks, the Chiefs have allowed the QB14 (Zach Wilson) and QB10 (Kirk Cousins). Both performances were in the 250-yard, two-TD range. That, however, looks like the absolute ceiling against their pass defense and there's potential for the bottom to fall out, so we're being cautious with Wilson on a windy, potentially rainy night.
MORE THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL:
DK lineup | FD lineup | Best props | Betting preview
Start: RB Jaleel McLaughlin
Despite not seeing regular starting-caliber snaps since Week 1, he's RB24 on the season and has been RB9 in half-point PPR the past two weeks. He's been more effective and active than Samaje Perine with Javonte Williams down. The little undrafted kid is the best source for Broncos' production, even with Williams back this week. The Chiefs have had some trouble with young speed backs (Jahmyr Gibbs and Breece Hall). McLaughlin is a good bet for double-digit touches, too, with his best hopes coming as an open-field runner and receiver, especially in garbage time.
Sit: RB Javonte Williams
Williams is returning from his hip injury that he suffered against the Bears in Week 4 much faster than expected, perhaps sensing that he's on the verge of losing his lead role to McLaughlin. Before he missed Week 5 vs. the Jets, Williams' average weekly output put him at RB44 in half-point PPR behind McLaughin and Samaje Perine. There's no doubt Sean Payton and Russell Wilson have an affinity for McLaughlin's versatility, and he's given them no reason to force Williams into key touches.
WEEK 6 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Sit: RB Samaje Perine
So much for Perine being a plus insurance policy for Williams. Williams wasn't doing much before his hip injury, and Perine had limited usage. He's been seen more as the complement/change-of-pace to McLaughlin vs. the other way around, and with Williams back, there's not much of a role for him.
WEEK 6 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Sit: WR Courtland Sutton
He's just in the WR3 conversation as WR35 on the season after five weeks, but he's coming off a disappearing act against Sauce Gardner and the Jets. The Chiefs are a little easier, but it's hard to see him doing too much vs. L'Jarius Sneed.
Sit: WR Jerry Jeudy
Jeudy will often see the Chiefs' best cover corner, Trent McDuffie, in the slot. That's not inspiring for him to come to life either. You're also looking at a low ceiling when playing either guy.
Sit: WR Marvin Mims
Mims should be worked in more, but he's also behind Brandon Johnson, not just Sutton and Jeudy. Sean Payton is reluctant to give the rookie more snaps and routes, even after flashing early.
WEEK 6 DFS:
DK lineup | FD lineup | Best values | Best stacks
Sit: TE Adam Trautman
Trautman did score on a short ball last week, but his usage has been limited in following Payton from New Orleans while filling in for Greg Dulcich (hamstring), who has an outside shot of returning this week.
Sit: K Wil Lutz
There are not just enough triples from Lutz for us to stick the landing.
Sit: Broncos D/ST
The Broncos look like they're sitting every week.
Chiefs: Who to start, sit in fantasy football on TNF
Start: QB Patrick Mahomes
Mahomes has seemingly underwhelmed because he's not up there with Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts in fantasy scoring, but his "slump" has still yielded a QB6 ranking for the season. He is 11-0 against the Broncos and has had some massive games against them. He owns them. This is what he does. This is what he does!
Start: RB Isiah Pacheco
When Pacheco last got a plum rushing matchup against the Jets, he went off with his speed, power, quickness, and scoring. He's the No. 13 RB in half-point PPR so far, just outside of RB1 status. Pacheco cements that against a run defense giving up 187-plus yards per game.
Start (in deep leagues): RB Jerick McKinnon and RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Desperation alert for Aaron Jones or Najee Harris owners...or anyone without De'Von Achane, James Conner...or Khalil Herbert who didn't land adequate replacements on waivers...or anyone in a very deep league desperate for a viable starting running back. Either one of these guys (or both) could see more touches than usual to support Pacheco. It's a low-ceiling risk, but the process of trying out one or the other isn't crazy.
Start: TE Travis Kelce
Kelce plans to play despite suffering a scary low-ankle sprain against the Vikings. He returned to score and be effective on Sunday vs. the Vikings, and there are no plans to rest him here. He wants to play and work on his biggest game yet against an atrocious tight end defense that was smashed by Cole Kmet and Tyler Conklin the past two weeks. Look for 8-80 as the floor with at least one score. Heck, he could get just red-zone work and still be worth playing.
Sit: WRs Kadarius Toney, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore, Rashee Rice, Justin Watson, and Justyn Ross
MVS and Skyy have seen the most snaps. Rice and Toney have the most targets. Watson has the most receiving yards. Rice has the most TDs. This is a committee in every sense of the word, meaning you can't trust anyone in season-long.
Sit: K Harrison Butker
Time to do some more butt-kicking from the K10, who should be on his way up with his field-goal work soon.
Start: Chiefs D/ST
Depending on your scoring system, they are playable as a borderline top-12 unit given their pass rush, coverage, and emotional energetic boost of playing at home in prime time.
Broncos vs. Chiefs: DraftKings Showdown lineup
- Captain (1.5X): Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco $14,100
- FLEX: Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes $12,800
- FLEX: Chiefs TE Travis Kelce $11,000
- FLEX: Broncos QB Russell Wilson $9,600
- FLEX: Broncos WR Brandon Johnson $1,200
- FLEX: Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire $1,000
Here's loading up on the Chiefs' most reliable big three and also getting some CEH in there hoping it's a blowout role for him in the second half. The prices, including taking a cheap shot on Johnson, allow us to go "superflex" here and put in Wilson, too.
Broncos vs. Chiefs: FanDuel single-game lineup
- MVP (1.5X): Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco $13,500
- AnyFLEX: Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes $18,000
- AnyFLEX: Chiefs TE Travis Kelce $14,000
- AnyFLEX: Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire $6,500
- AnyFLEX: Broncos WR Brandon Johnson $7,000
This is a run-heavy Chiefs attack for sure but also getting their two principals in the passing game in what could be a blowout fueled by early passing and closed out with second-half rushing. Johnson, a favorite red-zone target of Wilson, it's a good pivot from taking a flier on Mims.
