There is a trio of NFL games on Christmas Day, with the final contest at Arrowhead Stadium between the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs.
There's a changing of the guard in the AFC West this year, with Denver gunning for the division title and K.C. missing the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade.
Three spirits visited Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, and my NFL picks for this clash line up appropriately with each of those ghosts.
Here are my best free Broncos vs. Chiefs NFL players props for Thursday, December 25.
Broncos vs Chiefs TNF props
| Player | Pick |  |
|---|---|---|
 Travis Kelce |
Over 35.5 receiving yards | -110 |
 Zach Allen |
To record a sack | -175 |
| Bo Nix |
Over 238.5 pass yards | -110 |
The Ghost of Christmas Past
Travis Kelce Over 35.5 receiving yards (-110)
Let's start with our Ghost of Christmas Past: 36-year-old future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce. Despite being on the downslope of his career, Kelce was just named to his 11th Pro Bowl team and ranks third among tight ends with 803 receiving yards.
With franchise quarterback Patrick Mahomes and backup Gardner Minshew injured, the Kansas City Chiefs will give third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun his first career start.
Tight ends are often the security blanket for inexperienced passers, so expect Oladokun to rely on Kelce — especially with No. 1 WR Rashee Rice sidelined.
The Denver Broncos have a strong defense but are vulnerable against tight ends, allowing the seventh-most receiving yards to the position. Kelce reeled in nine of 13 targets for 91 yards against Denver when these rivals previously clashed in Week 11.
Kelce has racked up more than 40 receiving yards in 12 of 15 games this year, and I'm expecting a big performance in what might be his final home game at Arrowhead Stadium.
The Ghost of Christmas Present
Zach Allen To Record a Sack - Yes (-175)
The Ghost of Christmas Present is described as a giant of a man with a jolly personality. Denver defensive lineman Zach Allen is definitely a giant, but his personality is a lot more intense.
Allen is smack-dab in his prime and logged a career high 8.5 sacks last year. He has 6.5 sacks this season and leads all defensive linemen with 66 pressures, resulting in his Pro Bowl selection.
Inexperienced QBs aren't used to the speed of NFL pass rushers and tend to take more sacks due to poor processing and pocket awareness. The Chiefs are huge underdogs, which should mean plenty of dropbacks for Oladokun behind an offensive line missing both starting tackles.
With Allen picking up a sack in seven of his last 11 games, expect him to feast against those backup linemen.
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
Bo Nix Over 238.5 passing yards (-114)
There's no better representation for the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come than future star Bo Nix. The Broncos' sophomore QB has thrown for more than 300 yards in three of his last four games. He also completed 24-of-37 passes for 295 yards against the Chiefs in Week 11.
The main reason we're seeing a lower passing yards total for Nix this week is the projected game script, with the Broncos as 13.5-point favorites. That said, Denver has struggled to run the ball with J.K. Dobbins on the IR, and the Chiefs have a stout run defense.
The Chiefs are 23rd in DVOA against the pass and will be missing their top two corners, so expect Denver to rely on its aerial attack to move the ball. Keep in mind that in the Broncos' biggest blowout wins, Nix threw for 247 yards against Dallas and 326 yards against Cincinnati.
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Broncos vs Chiefs TNF prop betting card
- Travis Kelce Over 35.5 receiving yards (-110)
- Zach Allen to record a sack: Yes (-175)
- Bo Nix Over 238.5 passing yards (-114)
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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