**4.How quickly can Kansas City's rookie class make its presence felt?**
The roots of Kansas City's march to three consecutive Super Bowls – outside of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and defensive tackle Chris Jones – can be found in the 2022 NFL Draft, where the Chiefs acquired numerous immediate contributors who each left their mark in Kansas City's championship runs.
It's a tall standard to live up to, but with the franchise now facing a similar sort of crossroads moment as it encountered in 2022, Kansas City's rookie class has the look of a potentially special group.
Cornerback Mansoor Delane, the No. 6 overall pick back in April, has the makings of a star defensive back. Defensive tackle Peter Woods was widely considered a steal at the backend of the first round, and edge-rusher R Mason Thomas led all Chiefs defenders with eight pressures during the preseason.
Offensively, Emmett Johnson paced all tailbacks (among those to play in just three games) in forced missed tackles during the preseason while wide receiver Cyrus Allen impressed throughout training camp.
The jury is still out on this group, but the success of the championship runs from 2022 through 2024 was based in the fact that Kansas City's rookies were ready to contribute early in their respective careers. A similar result this season, and specifically on Monday night, would be a welcome sight as Kansas City aims to return to the postseason in 2026.
**5\. The addition of wide receiver Jaylen Waddle – and his impact on the Broncos' offense – will be something to watch.**
Denver's bread and butter as an offense last season – and really, during the entirety of Bo Nix's tenure as quarterback – has been the short passing game.
Nix led all passers in attempts behind the line of scrimmage last season (with 115) while ranking third in throws within nine yards of the snap (with 271), consistently utilizing the quick passing game as a method of controlling the clock and the flow of the game.
For example, Denver recorded 37 drives of at least 10 plays in 2025, which ranked fourth in the NFL.
The addition of wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, however – paired with new play-caller Davis Webb – begs the question of how the Broncos' offense may look on Monday night. Waddle is a legitimate deep threat whose 15 yards-per-reception average ranks third in the NFL since 2022.
Denver may very well attempt to stretch the field early and often on Monday, and the Chiefs' young secondary will need to be ready for it.