NFL Odds: Travis Kelce's Injury Will Determine The Betting Line
The Kansas City Chiefs will take on the Detroit Lions tonight as the 2023 NFL season kicks off, but they might be without one of their most productive players. If Travis Kelce is unable to suit up, then the spread for the game will be much closer than when the odds were originally released.
NFL Odds: Kelce’s Injury Will Determine The Spread
#Chiefs owner Clark Hunt on @GMFB, on Travis Kelce: “We hope that he’ll be able to go tonight. He’ll be a game-time decision, but he’s somebody who loves to compete, so I wouldn’t bet against him being on the field tonight.”
Still up in the air. But some optimism…
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 7, 2023
The Chiefs were always listed as 6.5 point favorites. They enter the season as the favorite to win the Super Bowl and repeat as champions, and Patrick Mahomes has an insane quarterback rating in opening games.
But these aren’t the same old Lions that we are used to. Detroit is in the middle of a franchise turnaround with Dan Campbell at the helm, and they are favorites to win the NFC North for the first time since 1993.
6.5 felt like the right number. That was until Kelce suffered a hyperextended knee earlier in the week. With the tight end’s status unknown and very much in doubt, the line for the game dropped a full two points, and is currently sitting at 4.5 as of 1PM Eastern on Thursday afternoon.
Chiefs Currently Sitting At -4.5
Here’s how odds to win this year’s Super Bowl, AFC Championship, and NFC Championship have shifted since the end of last season �� pic.twitter.com/LwNZ5EAdUm
— BetOnline.ag (@betonline_ag) September 7, 2023
That number is subject to change. Kelce will be going through a workout this morning and testing the strength and mobility of the knee in question, and will truly be a gameday decision based on how he feels. If he is able to go, then look for the line to shoot up, possibly back to the original line of 6.5.
Kelce is a massive part of what the Chiefs do on offense. He is by far the favorite target of Mahomes, and is the most productive tight end in the NFL, having 7 straight 1,000+ yard seasons. Noah Gray is the backup, and Kadarius Toney, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Skyy Moore are the top three wide receivers listed on the depth chart.
Tonight’s game will be played in Kansas City and is set to kick off at 8:20PM Eastern.
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