Just three weeks remain in the 2024 NFL regular season, and -- from the first game on Thursday to the final game on Monday -- playoff spots and seeding will be on the line during a full, 16-game Week 16 schedule. On Thursday, the Denver Broncos can clinch a playoff berth. Two days later, the Kansas City Chiefs can take one more step toward earning the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs. On Sunday the Philadelphia Eagles can win the NFC East. And on Monday night, the Green Bay Packers can wrap up a playoff berth if a combination of teams chasing them haven't done so already by losing their matchups.
The Broncos are 2.5-point underdogs at the Los Angeles Chargers, and the Chiefs are 1.5-point underdogs against the Houston Texans. The Eagles are 3.5-point favorites at the Commanders, while the Packers are big 13.5-point favorites against the Saints.
People who find one side of these spreads attractive, would like to try betting on the NFL and do not already have a DraftKings account can take advantage of a welcome bonus for new users. The promo offers new users $150 in bonus bets if they win their first bet of at least $5. It is one of several sportsbook promotions being offered for NFL's Week 16 slate.
Broncos at Chargers (Thursday)
- Kickoff time 8:15 p.m. ET
- Point spread Chargers -2.5
- Money line Chargers -150, Broncos +125
- Total 42
Picks and more to know
Both the Broncos (9-5) and the Chargers (8-6) are well positioned to make the playoffs as wild card teams, but this game still has potentially significant ramifications. Denver can end the franchise's eight-year playoff drought with a win or a tie (or if the Dolphins, Bengals and Colts all don't win). Meanwhile Los Angeles, which owns the third and final wild card spot in the AFC entering Week 16, could leapfrog the Broncos in the standings with a win on Thursday. That could mean the difference between having to open the playoffs at, say, Buffalo or Kansas City as the No. 7 seed or at Pittsburgh or Houston as the No. 6 seed.
Denver enters the game on a roll. The Broncos have won their last four games and are coming off a 31-13 blowout of the Colts last week. They've been riding their defense all season. The team leads the NFL in sacks (49) and is tied for the league lead in points allowed per game (17.6). The unit, however, may be without its starting two cornerbacks on Thursday; both Patrick Surtain II and Riley Moss are both nursing injuries.
Meanwhile the Chargers are heading in the opposite direction. Los Angeles has lost three of its last four and is reeling from its worst performance of the season, a 40-17 blowout loss to the Buccaneers. Over the past three games, the Chargers are averaging just 60.7 rushing yards. They ran for a season-low 32 yards last week against Tampa Bay.
SportsLine expert R.J. White, who is 36-19-2 in last 57 ATS picks in games involving the Chargers, is on one side of the spread in this matchup, and the SportsLine Projection Model says one team covers in more than 50% of simulations.
Texans at Chiefs (Saturday)
- Kickoff time 1 p.m. ET
- Point spread Texans -1.5
- Money line Texans -122, Chiefs +103
- Total 39.5
Picks and more to know
The most famous right ankle in the world right now belongs to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The three-time Super Bowl MVP suffered a high ankle sprain in last week's 21-7 victory over the Browns, and his status for Saturday's game is uncertain. However, he was a full participant in Tuesday's practice, and coach Andy Reid said the team is preparing as if Mahomes will play.
There is no urgency, however, to rush Mahomes back before he is ready. Kansas City needs just two wins over its final three games to clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC so the Chiefs could still lose on Saturday and still control their destiny in wrapping up the top spot in the conference. If Mahomes doesn't play, Kansas City will turn to Carson Wentz, the 31-year-old vet who has thrown just two passes this season, both last week against Cleveland.
Houston, meanwhile, already has clinched the AFC South title and is playing for seeding position. The Texans have a big-play defense that ranks second in the league in sacks (45) and takeaways (28) and fourth in total defense (302.4 yards per game allowed). Their plethora of pass rushers will certainly have their sights set on an immobile Mahomes, if he plays.
SportsLine expert Jason La Canfora is on one side of the total in this matchup, and the SportsLine Projection Model says one team covers in almost 60% of simulations.
Eagles at Commanders (Sunday)
- Kickoff time 1 p.m. ET
- Point spread Eagles -3.5
- Money line Eagles -174, Commanders +146
- Total 45.5
Picks and more to know
The top two teams in the NFC East collide when the Commanders host the Eagles. Five weeks ago, this matchup looked destined to be a showdown for the division title. But Washington (9-5) has lost three of its last five, and Philadelphia (12-2) has won a franchise-record 10 in a row to take a stranglehold of the division. The Eagles can clinch the NFC East title with a win or a tie.
Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley is having a MVP-caliber season. Barkley, who joined the Eagles as a free agent in the offseason, leads the league in both rushing yards (a franchise-record 1,688) and scrimmage yards (1,964). In Philadelphia's Week 11 win against the Commanders, he had 198 scrimmage yards and two rushing touchdowns. In 10 career games against Washington, he is averaging 136.2 scrimmage yards per game, which is the third-most by a player against a single opponent (minimum 10 games) in NFL history.
Meanwhile the Commanders are fighting for their playoff lives. They enter Week 16 holding the third and final wild card berth in the NFC, but they're only one game ahead of the Seahawks (8-6).
Washington is coming off a razor-thin, 20-19 win at New Orleans. In that game, Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels passed for 226 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions and added 66 rushing yards. He is the fourth rookie quarterback in NFL history with at least 3,000 passing yards and 500 rushing yards in a season.
The SportsLine Projection Model says one team covers in well over 50% of simulations in this matchup,
Saints at Packers (Monday)
- Kickoff time 8:15 p.m. ET
- Point spread Packers -13.5
- Money line Packers -885, Saints +592
- Total 42
Picks and more to know
Monday Night Football will feature one team preparing for the postseason and another preparing for the offseason. The Packers (10-4) currently own the second wild card spot and can clinch a playoff berth with a win on Monday (or a combination of other teams losing). Meanwhile the Saints (5-9) are on the verge of being eliminated from the postseason.
Green Bay has been effective all season at running the ball. Behind running back Josh Jacobs, the Packers are tied for fourth in the league in rushing offense (144.4 yards per game). They are also fourth in the NFL in total offense (375.9 yards per game).
In addition, Green Bay has been getting clean play from quarterback Jordan Love recently. After throwing 11 interceptions over his first eight games of the season, Love has has zero interceptions over his last four games. The Packers are 3-1 during that stretch.
The Saints' quarterback situation is not as favorable. According to reports, starter Derek Carr, who has an injured left throwing hand, is unlikely to return this week. That would leave the job to either Jake Haener, who started last week against the Commanders, or Spencer Rattler, who nearly rallied New Orleans to a win over Washington.
Adding to the Saints' issues is the health of running back Alvin Kamara. The multipurpose weapon, who has 1,493 yards and eight TDs from scrimmage this season, is dealing with a groin injury that forced him out of last week's game. On Monday New Orleans interim coach Darren Rizzi declined to discuss the extent of the injury.
The SportsLine Projection Model says one team covers in well over 50% of simulations in this matchup.
DraftKings Sportsbook promo
The DraftKings welcome promo comes with a few terms and conditions. First, you must be a new DraftKings customer who has never signed up for the platform anywhere. For example, if you previously signed up in Michigan, you wouldn't be eligible to sign up for a new account and claim the welcome bonus in Pennsylvania or any other state. You also must be at least 21 years old to sign up and claim the DraftKings promo.
In addition, the $150 in bonus bets will be credited in the form of six $25 bonus bet tokens. All of the bonus bet tokens will expire seven days after reaching your account.
Lastly, bonus bets are not included in any returns or winnings, nor are they redeemable for cash, transferable or refundable.
How to sign up for the DraftKings Sportsbook promo
New DraftKings users who are interested in claiming the sportsbook's latest welcome offer can do so by following these steps:
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The DraftKings welcome bonus gives users the opportunity to bet a little and win a lot. However the bonus is not unique in the industry; other online sportsbooks offer similar welcome promotions, and not all are tied to winning the initial bet in order to receive the bonus.
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