The 2024 NFL schedule kicks off on Thursday, September 5th at 8:20pm ET with a matchup between the two-time Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens, who had the best record of last year's regular season. The Chiefs ended the Ravens' season last year with a 17-10 victory in the AFC Championship Game. Ravens receiver Zay Flowers had his best game of his rookie season against the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game, catching five receptions for 115 yards and a touchdown. Patrick Mahomes threw for 241 yards and a touchdown, while Travis Kelce also had 11 receptions for 116 yards and a score. Should you include any of these players in your NFL DFS lineup for the 2024 NFL Kickoff Game on sites like FanDuel or DraftKings?
Stars like Mahomes, Kelce, Lamar Jackson and Mark Andrews have been staples in the NFL DFS player pool for this matchup over the past few seasons. Both teams have made impact acquisitions in the offseason, with the Ravens signing running back Derrick Henry and the Chiefs drafting wide receiver Xavier Worthy. So how should they factor into your NFL DFS strategy for the 2024 NFL Kickoff game? Before you lock in your Ravens vs. Chiefs NFL DFS lineups on sites like DraftKings or FanDuel, be sure to check out SportsLine daily fantasy expert Mike McClure's NFL DFS advice, strategies and stacks.
McClure is a legendary professional DFS player with over $2 million in lifetime winnings. He uses a powerful predictive model that considers matchups, statistical trends, injuries and other factors to simulate every NFL game. This allows him to find the best DFS values that he shares exclusively with SportsLine members. His methods have led to huge winnings on FanDuel and DraftKings. Last year, he won the DraftKings Millionaire Maker twice and the FanDuel Million once. Anyone who follows him is pretty high up there.
Now, McClure has his eye on the 2024 NFL season opener between the Ravens and Chiefs and has locked in his top daily fantasy football picks, and you can see his picks and analysis exclusively at SportsLine.
Top NFL DFS picks for Chiefs vs. Ravens
One of McClure's top NFL DFS picks is Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The 28-year-old Mahomes is a two-time NFL MVP who was named Super Bowl MVP for the second year in a row after leading the Chiefs to back-to-back Super Bowl victories. Mahomes is considered the best quarterback in the NFL and, given his postseason success, should be in the conversation for greatest quarterback of all time as he nears the age of 30.
Mahomes had the sixth-most passing yards (4.183) in the NFL last season, a result that may be viewed as somewhat disappointing due to how good he was. Fantasy football players were expecting better statistical success playing the entire season, as Mahomes was fantasy football's QB8, but Mahomes passed for at least 200 yards in 18 of 20 games and scored at least one touchdown in 19 games, giving him one of the highest minimum lines in the NFL DFS player pool. Mahomes continues to be an elite option for daily fantasy football players, and despite his high price tag, McClure considers him a must-have NFL DFS pick.
McClure also has Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers in his DFS pick for Ravens vs. Chiefs. Flowers set Ravens rookie records for receptions (77) and receiving yards (858) last season, proving why Baltimore invested a first-round pick in him. Flowers finished the season strong with 103 yards and a touchdown in the regular season finale and 115 yards and a touchdown on five receptions against the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. Flowers is a big-play threat on the field and matches Lamar Jackson's strengths and ability to get the ball in the air.
In last year's NFL kickoff game, the Chiefs allowed Lions WR1 Amon-Ra St. Brown six receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown, so if the Ravens coaching staff can implement a similar strategy to get Flowers open, the Chiefs could have the thrill of receiving a Super Bowl ring and starting the season at home for the second straight year. The Ravens selected Flowers with the 22nd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to provide the big-play ability they need to beat the Chiefs, and McClure expects Flowers to become even more of an asset in NFL DFS lineups. Check out some of McClure's other favorites here.
How to set up your NFL DFS lineups and player pool for Ravens vs. Chiefs
McClure is also targeting another underrated player who could be a big blowout in the 2024 NFL Kickoff Game. This pick could be the difference between winning a tournament or cash game or going home empty-handed. You can see this player, and the rest of McClure's NFL DFS picks, exclusively at SportsLine.
So who is Mike McClure including in his best NFL DFS lineup for the 2024 NFL Kickoff Game between the Chiefs and Ravens, and which under-the-radar NFL DFS picks offer great value? Visit SportsLine now to find out the answers with the best NFL DFS picks, rankings, advice and stacks from a daily fantasy expert with over $2 million in winnings.
