Broncos @ Chiefs Week 17 Game Preview
It remains to be seen whether the Broncos will fight or roll over but hopefully they'll push the Chiefs' offense enough to create big fantasy performances.
Broncos at Chiefs
Hopefully we get a similar game to when these teams met three weeks ago and scored 62 points combined. However, if we get the same Broncos team that showed up last week against the Rams, the Chiefs offense might score 62 points by itself. That game was the final straw that got HC Nathaniel Hackett fired and I expect a much better effort from Denver this week in the wake of that.
The Broncos don’t have much to play for, but they may seriously be evaluating whether or not Russell Wilson is their QB of the future. How these last few weeks play out and whether he can rally the team or not may have a say in how long he remains in Denver. In a completely opposite situation, the Chiefs are looking to put pressure on the Bills in the race for the #1 seed in the AFC ahead of Buffalo’s MNF matchup with Cincinnati. Kansas City is a 12.5-point favorite in this game and it would be a truly shocking result if they don’t get the win.
The Chiefs’ offense should create plenty of fantasy points, but it isn’t totally clear who will be heavily involved outside of Travis Kelce. Last week was concerning for Jerick McKinnon managers, as his usage fell and his fantasy production was barely bailed out with a TD. However, the Broncos’ defense has been particularly vulnerable to pass catching RBs so I expect McKinnon to be a central part of the game plan. He is a mid-level RB2 in the Fantasy Life consensus rankings while backfield mate Isiah Pacheco is more of a flex level play who could see a lot of touches in a blowout. JuJu Smith-Schuster will look to bounce back after a tough outing last week, but he has another difficult matchup this week against a Denver defense that has allowed the fewest points to opposing WRs on the season.
The Broncos’ offense has struggled all season, and they have topped 20 points just once in their past seven games. Even with the lack of scoring, Jerry Jeudy has been able to turn in some strong performances, including as the WR1 in Week 14 against the Chiefs. He is the only player you can feel confident starting from Denver and he slots in as the WR20 in Fantasy Life rankings this week. Latavius Murray is an option in deep leagues because of the guaranteed volume. TE Greg Dulcich has been placed on IR, ending his promising rookie campaign. Dulcich saw 7 targets in three of his last four games so his absence could be a boost to Jeudy and Courtland Sutton, who checks in as the WR40 in our ranks.
I won’t be betting on this game because motivation will be a big factor and I have no idea if the Broncos will put up a fight or will roll over and get blown out like last week. Either way, it’s really difficult to imagine a scenario where the Broncos pull off an upset, but hopefully they will give us enough to push the Chiefs' offense and create big fantasy performances all around.