Thursday Night Football is finally back!!

The highly anticipated matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Detroit Lions is set to kick off this week. The spread coming into this one has the Chiefs favored by -4.5 points. Both teams had contrasting fortunes against the spread last year, with the Lions boasting a 12-5 record compared to the Chiefs’ 7-10.

With an over/under line of 53, this game is expected to be a high-scoring affair. I would go as far to say the over should be the play here. Two high paced, high scoring offenses, with questionable defenses and key players like Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones set to miss due to his holdout.

Let’s take a closer look at the key players in this matchup.

Quarterbacks: Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff

In this game, all eyes will be on the reigning Super Bowl MVP, Patrick Mahomes, my QB1 this week. Being the elite quarterback that he is, Mahomes has consistently surpassed the player props line of 299.5 passing yards in 9 of his last 11 games (not including the last week of the regular season last year). Facing a Lions defense that ranked 32nd in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks, Mahomes is expected to continue his impressive form.

On the opposing side, Jared Goff, my QB13 will be leading the Lions’ offense. While Goff had a solid season last year, he will face a Chiefs defense that ranked 30th in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks. Though Goff struggled to surpass his passing yardage prop on the road, (which happened only twice last year), the expected game flow and a favorable matchup could make him a viable bubble QB1 option.

Running Backs: Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, Isiah Pacheco, and Jerick McKinnon

With several running backs to watch in this game, there are interesting storylines to follow. Jahmyr Gibbs, my RB20, despite not likely being the main ball carrier for the Lions, has explosive potential in a high-scoring matchup. His ability to contribute in the passing game should be the main source of his fantasy value.

David Montgomery, my RB18, is expected to see a significant workload as the main ball carrier, including goal-line situations. With the Lions potentially aiming for ball control early in the game, Montgomery should have ample opportunities to surpass his rushing yardage prop of 48.5 yards.

Keep an eye on Isiah Pacheco, my RB26, who had performed well down the stretch last year. He has gone over his rushing yardage prop of 50.5 yards in eight of his last nine regular-season games. 

Jerrick McKinnon, my RB36, is also worth monitoring, as he is likely to maintain his passing role in the Chiefs’ offense. This comes with an unusual amount of touchdown upside, as the Chiefs remain in shotgun when in the red zone.

Wide Receivers: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Josh Reynolds

Amon Ra-St. Brown, my WR5, has a favorable matchup against a Chiefs defense that was 26th in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers last year. While he has failed to surpass his receiving yardage prop of 76.5 in his last five regular-season games, the expected game flow and target volume could propel him to a top-five fantasy finish.

Unfortunately, Kadarius Toney‘s status for Week 1 remains uncertain as far as the expected snap count. Skyy Moore, my WR32, on the other hand, is expected to see increased volume with Toney limited. In addition, the Lions’ defense struggled against wide receivers last season, offering Moore a favorable opportunity to exceed his receiving yardage prop of 39.5.

MVS may not be a fantasy starter, but his affordability in DFS makes him an intriguing option. As he carries a $5600 price tag on DraftKings.

Josh Reynolds, my WR52, could prove to be a sneaky sleeper with ample volume available in a potentially high-scoring game. He carries a $2800 price tag on DraftKings.

Tight Ends: Travis Kelce, Noah Gray, and Sam LaPorta

Travis Kelce faces a questionable tag ahead of Thursday with a lean towards being out. He hyperextended his knee in practice Tuesday, unfortunately. While his availability has yet to be determined, you should be searching for backup options just in case. Noah Grey would likely be the starter in his place, but there could be other options with more upside available on your waiver wire.

Sam LaPorta, my TE14, could be one of the Travis Kelce replacements depending on your league. He might have early upside with the potential for increased passing volume as options are thin on Detroit.

For more content from Dan Mader, host of the MD’s Fantasy Football Show, visit the youtube channel, or get the edge by viewing his industry accurate rankings here.