The Kansas City Chiefs and running back Kenneth Walker III are now fifth in the odds to win the Super Bowl.

Are the Kansas City Chiefs back?

After a down 2025 season where they failed to make the playoffs, the Chiefs entered 2026 with high expectations, especially since Patrick Mahomes was cleared for Week 1 after suffering a torn ACL just nine months ago.

And, Kansas City made a statement on Monday night against the Denver Broncos, scoring 31 points in a blowout win (31-10) at home. The Chiefs entered the game at +1600 to win the Super Bowl, which was in the top-10 in the league, but they're now tied for fifth in the odds at DraftKings Sportsbook (+1400) with the San Francisco 49ers.

The only teams ahead of Kansas City are the Los Angeles Rams (+650), Baltimore Ravens (+900), Buffalo Bills (+950) and Seattle Seahawks (+1100).

The Week 1 win for the Chiefs was massive against a division rival, especially since the Los Angeles Chargers also lost in Week 1. Now, Kansas City and the Las Vegas Raiders are atop the AFC West standings heading into Week 2.

Mahomes' return was a big storyline coming in, but offseason acquisition Kenneth Walker III (the reigning Super Bowl MVP) stole the show.

Walker dominated the game from the jump, finishing with 23 carries for 173 yards and a score while adding three catches for 18 yards and another touchdown as a receiver. He broke a ton of tackles against a Denver defense that looked like a shell of itself after finishing with the No. 1 success rate in the NFL in 2025.

Mahomes started just 3-for-13 passing on Monday night, but he completed 12 of his next 14 passes, finishing with 187 yards and two scores through the air. Most importantly, the star quarterback wasn't afraid to use his legs, scrambling for Kansas City's first touchdown of the game. Mahomes ended up with seven carries for 23 yards in the win.

Kansas City has a bit of a short week coming up, as it'll play on Sunday night against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2. Oddsmakers have set the Chiefs as 6.5-point favorites at home in that matchup, a sign that they expect a 2-0 start from Andy Reid's club.

After years of being an easy bet to make the AFC title game with Mahomes leading the way, it appears the Chiefs are right back in the Super Bowl conversation in 2026.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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