The Kansas City Chiefs will host the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football. This is a high-stakes matchup with both teams holding legitimate Super Bowl hopes. Detroit enters with a 4-1 record and riding the momentum of four consecutive victories, while the Chiefs have dug themselves a bit of a hole with a 2-3 start to the year.
The Chiefs enter as 2.5-point favorites and hold -142 odds on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Lions are +120, and the game total set at 52.5 points.
There are plenty of ways to get involved in the action beyond just backing a side. This article will look at my three favorite prop bets on DraftKings Sportsbook for the Week 6 Sunday Night Football matchup.
Lions vs. Chiefs Best Prop Bets
Jahmyr Gibbs Anytime Touchdown (-145)
If you had bet an anytime touchdown for Jahmyr Gibbs for every game of his career, your pockets would be feeling healthy right now. The Lions’ star running back has turned himself into one of the biggest scoring threats in the league and headlines the top-ranked offense. Gibbs has 30 rushing touchdowns and six receiving touchdowns across 37 career games. He has scored in 25 of his 37 games, including four of five games this year.
The Chiefs have gotten a mixed bag of results from their defense this year. While they limited the New York Giants to just nine points in Week 3, they have allowed at least 20 points in the four other games. They rank 13th in points and yards allowed overall, but 21st in rushing yards conceded, 24th in rushing touchdowns allowed and 26th in net yards per rush attempt.
Gibbs is tied for fourth in the NFL in touchdowns with five so far and led the league with 20 touchdowns last year. While David Montgomery remains in the mix, Gibbs has proven to be Detroit’s most talented running back, and the touches have started to reflect this. There is room for both running backs in the dynamic offense, but Gibbs is still the primary option.
Patrick Mahomes Over 25.5 Rushing Yards (-116)
The Chiefs’ rushing attack has been a mess this season. Through their opening five games, they rank 21st in rushing attempts and 12th in rushing yards. Kansas City’s leading rusher on the season is … Patrick Mahomes.
While the three-time MVP is known for his passing ability, he’s willing to run when necessary. Neither Kareem Hunt nor Isiah Pacheco has proven to be the answer at running back. Mahomes has 190 rushing yards, Hunt has 164 and Pacheco has 163 yards this season.
Detroit has done a nice job defending the run this year, ranking seventh in rushing yards allowed. The fact that it has played with a lead for the majority of the season aids this metric, but Kansas City has struggled to produce regardless of who it is facing. Mahomes has rushed for more yards than Pacheco and Hunt in three of the five games this year, and he has tallied four or more rushing attempts in six of his last eight games.
The 25.5 line is a low bar for Mahomes to clear. He is averaging 38 rushing yards per game this season has produced rushing totals of 60, 5, 2, 66 and 57 across five games. He is at his best as a quarterback when playing his backyard style, where he rolls out and sees what he can make happen.
Bettors looking for more juice can consider Mahomes’ 50+ rushing yards line at +364 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Tyquan Thornton Longest Reception Over 15.5 Receiving Yards (-115)
The production at wide receiver has also been a work in progress for the Chiefs, and this has opened the door for Tyquan Thornton to prove what he can do. The 25-year-old has made the most of these chances, pulling in 13-of-25 targets for 272 yards and three touchdowns in five games. He’s become Kansas City’s top big-play threat.
He has a longest reception of over 15.5 yards in four of five matchups this season. The blowout win over the Ravens proved to be the only game he fell short of this, with the Chiefs needing to soak up clock for the better part of that matchup. Thornton leads the NFL in deep targets, or throws that are at least 20 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. He has 14 deep targets and also leads the league with 20.9 yards per reception and a 24.7-yard average depth of target.
Detroit is banged up in the secondary and ranks 12th in passing yards allowed, 24th in passing touchdowns conceded, and 14th in net yards per reception overall. Thornton has been targeted at least four times in every game except against the Ravens. The Chiefs often target him downfield, but Thornton has the ability to turn a short pass into a big play, too.
