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The NFL season has finally returned, kicking off with an eagerly anticipated matchup between the Detroit Lions and the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead on Thursday night. As the teams prepare for what promises to be a thrilling season opener, let's dig into the key prop bets to watch for in this Thursday's marquee matchup.
Patrick Mahomes set to shine once again
For those interested in prop bets, it would be smart to consider backing Patrick Mahomes to go over his prop of 299.5 ing yards. Mahomes, who is arguably the NFL's best er, is coming off a spectacular season. He led the league with 5,250 ing yards and 41 touchdowns, ultimately securing another MVP title. Last year, he eclipsed the 300-yard mark in 10 of his 17 regular-season games.
On the opposite side of the field, the Lions' defense has historically struggled against strong ing games. Last year, quarterbacks like Carson Wentz and Geno Smith had 300-yard games against Detroit. While there have been improvements in the Lions' defensive roster this offseason, Mahomes is not the type of player to bet against, especially on his home turf.
Rookie Jahmyr Gibbs ready for spotlight
The Lions made a significant roster change, trading away D'Andre Swift and using a high draft pick to bring in rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs. Gibbs is expected to make a big impact, particularly in the ing game. For the prop bet enthusiasts, taking Gibbs to go over 30.5 receiving yards might be a good move.
In college, Gibbs boasted an impressive 78% catch rate with almost 10 yards per target, and he's incredibly quick with a 4.36 40-yard dash time. Given that the Lions are underdogs going into the game, it's likely that they'll be relying heavily on the ing game, which plays into Gibbs' strengths. The Chiefs ranked in top 5 of receiving yards to running backs last season, bolstering the case for betting on Gibbs.
Furthermore, the likely absence of Chiefs rusher Chris Jones due to holdout, could mean that Gibbs will have more room to maneuver on the field, finding gaps in the defense more easily.