AFC West Predictions: Can Patrick Mahomes Reclaim The Division From Bo Nix?

The NFL kickoff is officially one week out, triggering the annual wave of hot takes, hot seats, and high expectations.

From chaotic division battles to dark-horse contenders, no outcome is off the table for this season.

With two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes returning from a season-ending injury, all eyes shift to a wide-open AFC West.

The Denver Broncos came within a game of the Super Bowl, but was their breakout season a real power shift in the division or was it just fool's gold? During Tuesday's segment on FOX Sports’ show First Things First, hosts Nick Wright, Chris Broussard and Danny Parkins made their predictions.

Here's how they see the division unfolding.

To no one's surprise, Wright has the Chiefs reclaiming the AFC West title, with the Broncos hot on their heels.

However, his Chargers' third-place analysis stood out, as he predicted them for third place, largely due to a brutal Week 3 through 10 schedule.

"I don’t think they’re gonna be terrible," Wright said.

"Weeks three through 10…how’s this work for you? Bills, Seahawks, Broncos, Chiefs, Rams, Texans, Ravens.

Around week nine is when we’re gonna start hearing, guys year eight is the year Justin Herbert pops." Wright's doubt regarding Herbert is nothing new, but his Broncos take relies on simple regression.

Denver and Chicago were incredibly clutch in the fourth quarter last year, but Wright foresees those close-game bounces leveling off this season.

"They played 17 games in the regular season last like everyone, but they trailed in 15 of them," Wright said.

"They had a historically good record in one-score games.

John Franklin Meyers is gone and Jonathan Cooper’s on the exempt list." Despite the adversity facing the Broncos this season, Wright still sees them as a playoff team.