This article is part of our DFS NFL series.
The 2024 NFL regular season kicks off with a Thursday Night Football matchup between the Chiefs and Ravens. With two of the best quarterbacks in the league at the helm, this game has the potential for a high-scoring affair. Let's dig into the DFS options for the single-game contests on DraftKings and FanDuel.
Quarterback
These teams faced off in the AFC championship last year. Both Patrick Mahomes ($10,400 DK, $17,500 FD) and Lamar Jackson ($11,400 DK, $17,000 FD) produced muted stat lines. Mahomes threw for only 241 yards and one touchdown. Jackson threw for 272 yards and added another 54 rushing yards, but he also had just one touchdown pass to along with an interception.
Jackson's rushing ability leaves him with tremendous upside in DFS, but Mahomes is no slouch in that department himself. He has rushed for at least 358 yards in each of the last three seasons. Let's give the edge to Mahomes because of his cheaper salary on DraftKings and because this game will be played in Kansas City. He had 10 touchdown passes and eight interceptions on the road last season, compared to 17 touchdown passes and six interceptions at home.
Running Back
It's a new era for the Ravens at running back with Derrick Henry ($9,000 DK, $14,500 FD) coming over from the Titans. Despite playing in an underwhelming offense last year, Henry still rushed for 1,167 yards and 12 touchdowns. He has posted at least 10 rushing touchdowns in each of the last six seasons, which is even more impressive when you consider that he appeared in just eight games in 2021.
Isiah Pacheco ($8,400 DK, $12,500 FD) will once again lead the Chiefs' backfield after rushing for 935 yards and seven touchdowns last year. He was also a valuable pass catcher, registering 44 receptions for 244 yards and two touchdowns.
The appealing part of Henry and Pacheco is that they don't have great backups behind them. Justice Hill ($4,400 DK, $7,500 FD) is the main option behind Henry, while Samaje Perine ($3,000 DK, $8,000 FD) is likely the top option behind Pacheco with Clyde Edwards-Helaire (illness) out at least the first four games. Henry has the higher touchdown upside, so he might be the better option between the two.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Marquise Brown (shoulder) has been ruled out against his former team, leaving Rashee Rice ($7,600 DK, $10,000 FD) and rookie Xavier Worthy ($5,800 DK, $8,500FD) to lead the Chiefs at wide receiver. Rice closed out last year on a high note, posting 51 receptions for 648 yards and four touchdowns over his final seven games of the regular season.
As is always the case with the Chiefs, Travis Kelce ($9,600 DK, $14,000 FD) is their most dangerous pass-catching option. He torched the Ravens in the AFC championship, catching all 11 of his targets for 116 yards and a touchdown. While he failed to reach 1,000 receiving yards last season, he still produced 93 receptions, 984 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
Kelce has the highest floor among he, Rice and Worthy. However, his salary will do a number on your budget. Rice might be able to provide more value, while Worthy has big-play upside and a cheap enough salary to be worth considering in tournament contests.
It's no secret that Zay Flowers ($8,000 DK, $11,500 FD) and Mark Andrews ($6,400 DK, $11,000 FD) are the top outlets for Jackson. Injuries limited Andrews to 10 games last season, but he still caught 45 passes for 544 yards and six touchdowns. Flowers dominated the Chiefs in the playoffs, posting five catches for 115 yards and a touchdown. During the regular season, Flowers received 22.7 percent of the Ravens' targets.
Rice and Flowers have similar salaries, but let's give the edge to Rice at home. Andrews is significantly cheaper than Kelce and has plenty of touchdown potential, so if choosing between those two tight ends, Andrews could provide the most bang for your buck.
Kicker
We have two of the best kickers in the league in this matchup. Justin Tucker ($5,000 DK, $9,000 FD) made 31 of 32 field-goal attempts inside of 50 yards last season. Harrison Butker ($4,600 DK, $9,000 FD) made all of five of his field-goal attempts of at least 50 yards last year.
Defense/Special Teams
The Ravens ($4,000 DK, $8,500 FD) allowed just 16.5 points per game last year, fewest in the NFL. The Chiefs ($3,600 DK, $8,000 FD) allowed 17.3 points per game, second fewest. These were also the top two defenses in the league in terms of sacks generated.
