The Chiefs' 2023 roster may not be as loaded on the offensive side of the ball as in recent seasons…or so you may think. Kansas City has a new wave of skill position players and an emerging crop of young talent on the offensive line that will keep the dynasty alive for years to come.

In this Betway Insider top 10, we’ll rank the best players on the Chiefs RIGHT NOW. As usual, all stats and references are courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and are updated through the end of the 2023 regular season.

Ranking the Top 10 Kansas City Chiefs Players in 2023 NFL Season to bet on

  1. Nick Bolton

Position: Linebacker
2023 stats: 8 games, 1 INT, 60 tackles, 1 TFL
Career stats: 41 Games, 3 INT, 352 tackles, 21 TFL

Chiefs LB Nick Bolton missed half of the 2023 season with injury, but he proved in Kansas City’s Wild Card win why he’s the team’s most valuable linebacker. Against the Miami Dolphins in the frigid cold at Arrowhead, Bolton allowed just 29 yards in 42 coverage snaps on 8 targets.

The rangy linebacker has also been a tackles-for-loss machine, Bolton had just one TFL in 2023 but peaked with 11 as a second-round Chiefs rookie in 2021. He will be a core part of the Kansas City defense for years to come and just edges fellow LB Willie Gay Jr for a spot on this list. They’re both fixtures in the Chiefs starting lineup.

  1. Rashee Rice

Position: Wide Receiver
2023 stats: 16 games, 79 receptions, 938 yards, 7 TDs
Career stats: 16 games, 79 receptions, 938 yards, 7 TDs

2023 Chiefs rookie Rashee Rice was a revelation in an otherwise below-standard Kansas City passing attack. 2022 second-round pick Skyy Moore hasn’t lived up to expectations, 2022 #1 WR Juju Smith-Schuster signed with the Patriots, Marquez Valdez-Scantling struggled with drops, and Tyreek Hill is long gone.

Enter Rice, who led Chiefs receivers with 938 receiving yards. He went for another 130 yards in Kansas City’s Wild Card game against the Miami Dolphins and looks poised to remain a top target for Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes for years to come.

  1. George Karlaftis

Position: Defensive EndRegular Season
2023 stats: 16 games, 10.5 sacks, 47 tackles, 7 TFL
Career stats: 33 games, 16.5 sacks, 80 tackles, 15 TFL

Chiefs DE George Karlaftis emerged as a much-needed complementary piece for the Kansas City pass rush in 2023. The 2022 first-round pick recorded a career-best 10.5 sacks in 2023 to go along with 18 QB hurries, tied for the third-highest figure in the NFL.

Karlaftis contributed 1.5 sacks in the Chiefs’ playoff win against the Miami Dolphins in the 2023 Wild Card round. Alongside Chris Jones, he will look to continue to do damage to help KC claim another Super Bowl.

  1. Isiah Pacheco

Position: Running Back
2023 stats: 14 games, 935 rush yards, 4.6 yards/attempt, 7 TDs, 44 receptions, 244 rec yards, 2 TDs
Career stats: 31 games, 1765 yards, 4.7 yards/attempt, 12 TDs, 57 receptions, 374 rec yards, 2 TDs

Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco is emerging as one of the key playmakers in the Kansas City offense. The bruising back emerged as a bell-cow in 2023, tallying over 83 total yards/game to go along with 9 total touchdowns in just 14 contests.

Pacheco is developing a reputation as a bruising and angry runner. However, the high-stepper will cap off a touchdown with a classy celebration, sometimes paying homage to the dance scene from his home state of New Jersey.

Want a good Chiefs player prop? Bet the over on Pacheco rushing yards, especially in big games.

  1. Trent McDuffie

Position: Cornerback
2023 stats: 16 games, 7 PD, 3.0 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, 80 tackles
Career stats: 27 games, 14 PD, 4.0 sacks, 6 forced fumbles, 124 tackles

Kansas City cornerback Trent McDuffie is arguably the premier tackling/mashing CB in the NFL. The second-year corner emerged as a First-team All-Pro in his second year in the league. His 5 forced fumbles were the most in the NFL by a CB -- no other cornerback even had four.

McDuffie is a sucker for a corner blitz but is also stout in coverage. The former first-round pick’s draft slot was acquired via the Tyreek Hill trade of 2022, showing that Hill is still able to provide value to the franchise.

5/4 (tie). Creed Humphrey

Position: Center
2023 stats: 17 games
Career stats: 51 games
Joe ThuneyPosition: Guard
2023 stats: 17 games
Career stats: 129 games

We have two pillars on the Chiefs offensive line tied for fourth and fifth on this list: center Creed Humphrey and guard Joe Thuney.

In just three seasons, Humphrey is already a 2x Pro Bowler and 1x Second-team All-Pro. The 2021 second-round pick was ranked as the #1 center in the NFL heading into the 2023 season by PFF.

Thuney was acquired via totally different means: the former Patriot signed a massive five-year, $80 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs ahead of the 2021 season. In three seasons, he’s been: a 2x Pro Bowler, 1x First-team All-Pro, and a Super Bowl champion.

  1. Chris Jones

Position: Defensive Line
2023 stats: 16 games, 10.5 sacks, 30 tackles, 13 TFL
Career stats: 123 games, 75.5 sacks, 273 tackles, 78 TFL

Just as current Kansas City QB Patrick Mahomes and TE Travis Kelce are the defining offensive Chiefs players of this dynasty, Chris Jones is the corresponding defensive lighthouse.

Jones earned his second First-team All-Pro nod and fifth Pro Bowl berth in 2023. He’s also been a 3x Second-team All-Pro who’s accumulated 75.5 sacks by the age of 29 and looks destined to give Chiefs legend LB Derrick Thomas a run for the most sacks in franchise history.

Want a good Chiefs prop bet? Keep taking the over on Chris Jones sacks, especially in big games.

  1. Travis Kelce

Position: Tight End
2023 stats: 15 games, 93 receptions, 984 yards, 5 TDs
Career stats: 159 games, 907 receptions, 11328 yards, 74 TDs

Travis Kelce would slot into the #1 spot on just about every other franchise’s list of best 2023 players. He’ll have to settle for the second spot on the Chiefs list, but it’s no fault of his own. Kelce is a:

  • 2x Super Bowl Champion
  • 4x First-team All-Pro, 3x Second-team All-Pro
  • 9x Pro Bowler
  • NFL 2010s All-Decade team

Kelce might just be the best tight end of all time. He’s one of the Chiefs' most important players for the postseason.

  1. Patrick Mahomes

Position: Quarterback
2023 stats: 16 games, 10-6 record, 67.2% comp, 4183 yards, 27-14 TD-INT
Career stats: 96 games, 74-22 record, 66.5% comp, 28424 yards, 219-63 TD-INT

Consider QB Patrick Mahomes’s 2023 stat line: 67.2% comp, 4183 yards, 27-14 TD-INT ratio. This would be universally considered the WORST season of the future Pro Football Hall of Famer’s career. Boy, Chiefs fans are lucky to have him.

Mahomes has a career record of 74-22 as a starter and already has two 5000+ passing seasons. He looks destined to break every QB record and give Tom Brady’s seven rings a run for their money.

Parameters of Rankings

Rankings are made based on a combination of 1) individual accomplishments, 2) team success, 3) franchise legacy, and 4) personal accolades.

Related: 

Bet on NFL Odds at Betway

Find season-long NFL betting odds on the Betway. You'll find all the latest spreads, parlays, totals, NFL prop bets, moneylines, and NFL futures. Or call it how you see it with our live NFL betting in-play. All your NFL betting needs are covered at our online sportsbook.

Visit Betway’s NFL picks page for picks and predictions throughout the regular season.