RADIO
Fantasy football starts/sits for MNF, expert advice for all Broncos vs. Chiefs Week 1 NFL matchups on Monday Night Football. Our start em, sit em picks for Jaylen Waddle, Kenneth Walker III, Travis Kelce, more
Welcome to our Monday Night Football start/sit chart for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season. Below you will find our start/sit matchup charts for all players in the MNF game between the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs. With several superstars playing in this game, their fantasy matchup may come down to this.
In addition to our start/sit recommendation and matchup ratings for each player, you can also read the fantasy football outlooks for key players like Jaylen Waddle, Travis Kelce, Evan Engram, RJ Harvey, J.K. Dobbins, Bo Nix, Patrick Mahomes, Xavier Worthy, Courtland Sutton and more. Which Broncos and Chiefs players should you start or sit in Week 1?
We are here to help you set those winning lineups for Week 1, whether you're playing in season-long leagues or DFS contests. We will have our fantasy football start/sit matchup charts available all season long -- focusing on who to start, who is on the fence, and who should find the bench -- so be sure to check back. Good luck in Week 1, RotoBallers!
Bookmark our updated and revamped fantasy football rankings portal for all league formats!PPR rankings | Half-PPR rankings | Non-PPR (Standard) rankings | Rookie rankings | Superflex rankings | Best Ball rankings | Underdog rankings | Dynasty rankings | IDP rankings | Injuries
Denver Broncos Start/Sit Matchups
See the full stats in our Fantasy Football Matchup Ratings Projections
| Player | Start/Sit | Matchup Rating ▾ |
Game Matchup |
Pos. |
| Jaylen Waddle | Start | 112.8 | @ KC | WR |
| Denver Broncos | Start | 110 | @ KC | D/ST |
| Bo Nix | Start | 109.8 | @ KC | QB |
| J.K. Dobbins | Risky Start | 103.7 | @ KC | RB |
| Wil Lutz | Risky Start | 103.4 | @ KC | K |
| Courtland Sutton | Risky Start | 102.8 | @ KC | WR |
| RJ Harvey | Risky Start | 102.4 | @ KC | RB |
| Pat Bryant | Risky Start | 102.1 | @ KC | WR |
| Marvin Mims Jr. | Sit | 101.8 | @ KC | WR |
| Troy Franklin | Sit | 101.8 | @ KC | WR |
| Jonah Coleman | Sit | 101.6 | @ KC | RB |
| Lil'Jordan Humphrey | Sit | 100.2 | @ KC | WR |
| Evan Engram | Sit | 99.8 | @ KC | TE |
| Adam Trautman | Sit | 96.9 | @ KC | TE |
| Tyler Badie | Sit | 96.3 | @ KC | RB |
Bo Nix, QB, Broncos
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix will face off against the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs on the road to open up the season on Monday Night Football. The 26-year-old was an ankle injury away from having the opportunity to lead his team to a Super Bowl appearance last season.
The team opted to go all in by trading for star wideout Jaylen Waddle in hopes of taking the offense to the next level. Nix will play against a star-depleted Chiefs secondary that lost its three top cornerbacks in the offseason. However, the Chiefs' defense allowed the fifth-fewest passing touchdowns and eighth-fewest passing yards last season.
As a result, he enters Week 1 as RotoBaller's QB20 with an opportunity to produce low-end QB1 numbers to start the season. Nix should be viewed as a must-start in superflex leagues and carries sneaky upside with an upgraded receiver room in Week 1.
J.K. Dobbins, RB, Broncos
Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins will open the regular season in Kansas City on Monday Night Football. The 27-year-old was the RB18 overall in PPR formats before suffering a Lisfranc foot injury to end his 2025 season. This year, Dobbins will attempt to hold off fourth-round rookie Jonah Coleman as the lead back on early downs.
Coleman is expected to be Dobbins' backup but has already become a fantasy favorite within the community. Dobbins is RotoBaller's PPR RB25 against a Chiefs defense that saw multiple key players leave the team in free agency.
However, they allowed the 10th fewest rushing yards and the 12th fewest rushing touchdowns last season. Dobbins should be viewed as a low-end RB2 and could sneak into the top 20 scoring running backs if he can find the end zone in Week 1.
Kansas City Chiefs Start/Sit Matchups
See the full stats in our Fantasy Football Matchup Ratings Projections
| Player | Start/Sit | Matchup Rating ▾ |
Game Matchup |
Pos. |
| Rashee Rice | Start | 115 | vs. DEN | WR |
| Patrick Mahomes | Start | 109.8 | vs. DEN | QB |
| Travis Kelce | Start | 106.6 | vs. DEN | TE |
| Kenneth Walker | Start | 105.9 | vs. DEN | RB |
| Harrison Butker | Start | 105.8 | vs. DEN | K |
| Xavier Worthy | Risky Start | 102.9 | vs. DEN | WR |
| Emmett Johnson | Sit | 101 | vs. DEN | RB |
| Cyrus Allen | Sit | 100.5 | vs. DEN | WR |
| Tyquan Thornton | Sit | 99.8 | vs. DEN | WR |
| Noah Gray | Sit | 96.1 | vs. DEN | TE |
| Brashard Smith | Sit | 96 | vs. DEN | RB |
| Kansas City Chiefs | Sit | 95.9 | vs. DEN | D/ST |
| Jalen Royals | Sit | 90.1 | vs. DEN | WR |
Xavier Worthy, WR, Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy was listed on the injury report with a shoulder injury but has since been removed after practicing fully all week. Worthy should operate as the WR2 for the Chiefs, behind Rashee Rice in the pecking order. Worthy could be in line for a sneaky good season if the Kansas City offense is able to bounce back.
The addition of Kenneth Walker to the backfield could open up things downfield for Worthy to succeed. Defenses will not be able to focus solely on stopping the pass now that the Chiefs have a real threat at running back. Despite being set up to succeed, Worthy could have a hard time producing against the Broncos defense on Monday night. Injuries on the Kansas City offensive line could also make things difficult for Worthy.
If Patrick Mahomes does not have time to let plays develop downfield, the passing game may have to focus on the short and intermediate parts of the field where Walker, Rice, and Travis Kelce operate. Worthy is ranked WR53 in our RotoBaller Week 1 PPR rankings, making him a dart throw option in deep leagues given the tough matchup and his shaky role in the offense. Fantasy managers may be better off taking a wait-and-see approach with Worthy in Week 1.
Rashee Rice, WR, Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice was listed on the injury report with the knee issue he's been dealing with since last season, but he participated fully in practice all week and should be ready to roll. Rice will operate as the Chiefs WR1 again this season after dealing with legal and health issues this offseason. Rice has been nothing but effective for the Chiefs, producing WR1 numbers for fantasy, especially in PPR formats.
The matchup this week will be tough given the strength of the Broncos defense, but Rice should be able to produce mainly as a slot receiver. The addition of Kenneth Walker should also help open things up for Rice in the middle of the field, since defenses will need to worry about stopping the run. Given the age of Travis Kelce, Rice should be the undisputed top target for Patrick Mahomes once again.
These videos out of camp earlier this offseason were a bit concerning since Rice did not look fully healthy, but his ability to practice in full all week should give fantasy managers some optimism surrounding his health. Head coach Andy Reid also commented on Rice, stating that the wideout should be fine going into the season.
Rice is ranked WR14 in our RotoBaller Week 1 PPR rankings, making him a high-end WR2 option against the Denver defense. Fantasy managers should feel comfortable putting Rice in their lineups, but keep in mind that his fantasy output could be diminished this week.
Who Should I Start Tool
Not sure who to start? Check out the Who Should I Start tool:
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to start...
Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Week 1 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding players like Jaylen Waddle, Travis Kelce, Evan Engram, RJ Harvey, J.K. Dobbins, Bo Nix, Patrick Mahomes, Xavier Worthy, Courtland Sutton. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 1.
Week 1 Player Decisions. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed, we've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circles), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 1 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 1 (2026)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 1 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 1 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool:
More Fantasy Football Analysis
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!
