The NFL Week 6 schedule opens with a matchup between AFC West rivals with the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday Night Football. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce headline the NFL DFS player pool, with Russell Wilson and Isiah Pacheco the next highest-priced options on the TNF DFS showdown slate. All four players will be popular NFL DFS picks on Thursday night, but it's unrealistic to include all of them when building NFL DFS lineups. Which players should you target as DFS core plays on TNF? Before locking in any NFL DFS picks for Broncos vs. Chiefs on sites like DraftKings and FanDuel, be sure to check out the NFL DFS lineup advice, strategy and player stacks from SportsLine NFL daily Fantasy expert Jimmie Kaylor.
Kaylor is a NFL and DFS expert for SportsLine, who opened the 2022 NFL season by winning DraftKings' NFL Showdown Thursday Kickoff Millionaire contest. He edged out over 355,000 other entrants in the contest and also has multiple five-figure tournament wins on his DFS resume. Kaylor, who cashed big all season in 2022, has covered the NFL and college football for over a decade as a member of the Pro Football Writers of America, and his background as a former college and NFL player gives him a unique perspective when building his fantasy lineups and locking in his betting picks.
Kaylor hit on epic NFL DFS picks all season in 2022. He was all over Travis Kelce's four-touchdown performance against the Raiders on Monday Night Football, Kirk Cousins' 460-yard, four-TD performance on Thanksgiving Day, and T.J. Hockenson's 13 catches for 109 yards and two touchdowns in Week 15.
In the Week 2 Eagles vs. Vikings Thursday Night Football matchup Kaylor was all over Justin Jefferson (11-159), D'Andre Swift (175-1), DeVonta Smith (4-132-1), and T.J. Hockenson (7-66-2). Anyone who followed his picks cashed in big.
Now, Kaylor has turned his attention to Broncos vs. Chiefs on Thursday Night Football Week 6 and just locked in his top daily Fantasy football picks. You can only see his picks and analysis at SportsLine.
Top NFL DFS picks for Broncos vs. Chiefs on TNF
One of Kaylor's favorite NFL DFS picks for Thursday Night Football is Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin. The dynamic rookie out of Youngstown State has been one of the few bright spots for Denver in 2023, and enters this matchup as Denver's leading rusher with 160 yards and a touchdown on only 22 carries. He has also caught seven passes for 46 yards and two touchdowns. In Denver's past two games, McLaughlin rushed for 72 yards and caught three passes for 32 yards and a touchdown against the Bears, and rushed for 68 yards and hauled in three catches for 21 yards and a score against the Jets. With the undrafted rookie's explosive playmaking ability, Kaylor expects McLaughlin to have an expanded role on Thursday night.
"The Broncos are a mess right now, but one of the few bright spots has been Jaleel McLaughlin. With Javonte Williams nursing a hip injury, McLaughlin has seen his role increase, and he has paid the Broncos back with high-end production. The Division-II football legend is a threat to go the distance every time he touches the ball, and reminds me of the type of player Alvin Kamara was under Sean Payton in New Orleans. I am expecting McLaughlin's role to increase even more, resulting in 15 or more touches against the Chiefs on Thursday," Kaylor told SportsLine.
Part of Kaylor's MNF DFS strategy also includes rostering Kansas City running back Isiah Pacheco. The second-year pro is one of the most physical runners in the NFL, and has scored a touchdown in three consecutive games. He will be facing a Broncos defense that allows a league-worst 187.6 rushing yards per game.
"The Broncos continue to get shredded on the ground and just gave up 177 yards and a touchdown to Breece Hall in Week 5. It's hard for me to see the Denver defense improving at all in time for this game, especially on a short week. Pacheco should see at least 15 carries on Thursday, and I believe he'll break off several chunk plays and find the end zone for a fourth-straight game," Kaylor said. You can see the rest of Kaylor's NFL DFS picks here.
How to build NFL DFS lineups for Chiefs vs. Broncos on TNF
Kaylor is also targeting another undervalued player who could explode for huge numbers for Thursday Night Football. This pick could be the difference between winning your tournaments and cash games or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is, and the rest of Kaylor's TNF DFS picks, at SportsLine.
So who is Jimmie Kaylor including in his optimal NFL DFS lineups for Thursday Night Football, and which under-the-radar NFL DFS picks offer huge value? Visit SportsLine now to see optimal NFL DFS picks, rankings, advice, and stacks, all from a DFS expert who already won a single-game millionaire maker tournament, and find out.
