Chiefs-Broncos Inactives: Patrick Mahomes will dress against Denver

The Kansas City Chiefs have released their list of inactive players for Sunday’s Week 8 game against the Denver Broncos on Empower Field at Mile High. As expected, linebacker Nick Bolton (wrist) will not play in Denver. But also as expected, quarterback Patrick Mahomes (illness) will play against the Broncos.

Bolton was declared out on the team’s final injury report on Friday, several days after he underwent surgery for the dislocated wrist he suffered in the Week 7 game against the Los Angeles Chargers. As expected, he was placed on the team’s Reserve/Injured (injured reserve) list on Saturday. Now that he isn’t on the team’s active roster, he is not listed among the team’s inactive players for Sunday’s game.

On Sunday morning, it was reported that Mahomes had been added to the team’s injury report with an illness. He was not given an injury designation; it was expected that he would play. This week, Mahomes’ wife Brittany posted on social media that their two children had been ill with a stomach bug — and that she had then been sick with it. Placekicker Harrison Butker missed Thursday’s practice with an illness, but was back on Friday.

No other Kansas City players were given an injury designation for the Denver game — including wide receiver Justin Watson, who suffered a dislocated elbow during the Week 6 game against Denver. He was a full participant in all of this week’s practices — and is active for Sunday’s game.

On Saturday, Kansas City elevated practice squad safety Deon Bush to the active roster. As an elevated player, he will automatically be returned to the team’s practice squad after the game. He will dress for the contest.

The Broncos have also released their list of inactives. Reserve wide receiver Brandon Johnson (hamstring) will not play on Sunday.

Johnson was the only Denver player who was given an injury designation for the game against Kansas City, being listed as questionable after being limited in Thursday’s practice and held out of Friday’s practice. On Saturday, he was placed on the Broncos’ Reserved/Injured list — and therefore does not appear on the game inactive list.

Also inactive for Denver: former Kansas City defensive tackle Keondre Coburn, who is a healthy scratch.

The Broncos have elevated wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith for the matchup. He will be active for the game.