10 Bold Predictions for the Broncos' 2026 Season

Nix is 3-1 against the Chiefs all time, with one of those victories coming last season at Arrowhead Stadium after Mahomes had suffered his season-ending knee injury. The year prior, Nix came as close as it gets to upsetting the Chiefs in their house as a rookie, but a mind-boggling blocked field-goal attempt as time expired robbed the rookie of what should have been his first win over Kansas City.

Nix has defeated Mahomes at Mile High in both matchups. But this is the year that Nix gets a hard-earned win over his quarterback rival at Arrowhead.

It'll be Mahomes's first game back since his knee injury, so the entire NFL world will be watching to see what condition he's in. All of the signs out of Kansas City point to him being good to go, so the Broncos are expecting the same old Mahomes — the best quarterback of his generation and a three-time Super Bowl champ.

But Nix's arrival in 2024 ushered in a new era in Denver. No longer were the Broncos going to be an auto-sweep when facing the Chiefs. In his first head-to-head matchup with Nix, Mahomes came out on top, but even then, he knew something had changed in Denver.

The Broncos finally had a franchise quarterback who could pull them out of the divisional doldrums, go head-to-head with the Chiefs, and as proven last year, win the AFC West. The Broncos will defend their AFC West crown by starting the season off with a tough divisional win over the Chiefs in primetime, giving Nix his first-ever win over Mahomes at Arrowhead.

Nik Bonitto Leads the NFL in Sacks

Some outlets have already predicted Bonitto to win the Defensive Player of the Year award, and if he manages to lead the NFL in sacks, as I'm predicting here today, he'll definitely be in the running for that coveted accolade, too.

Bonitto notched 13.5 sacks in 2024 — his first full season as a starter — and followed that up with 14 sacks last year. He was on pace to get to 20 sacks through the first half of last season — with eight sacks through the first six games — but he ended up having two three-game mini-slumps where he was held without a sack.

Sacks often come in bunches, even for the NFL's elite pass rushers. And there will be games where all the king's horses and all the king's men are able to scheme Bonitto out of the sack column.

However, Bonitto is building up a head of steam and has learned a lot from the past two years. Last year, a wrist injury that required him to wear a cast inhibited his full potential, but he's 100% unencumbered this season.

Bonitto wins the sack crown. Let the bodies hit the turf.

Broncos Go 3-1 vs. the NFC West

The AFC West drew the AFC East and the NFC West on the schedule this season, which sucks for the Broncos, but at least every one of their divisional foes has to play them, too. Those two divisions sent five teams to the playoffs last season.

The NFC West accounted for three of the five, with the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, and Seattle Seahawks all playing in January. The Rams and Seahawks fought for the NFC crown in the championship game, with Seattle advancing and winning the Super Bowl.

The Broncos play all three of those NFC West playoff teams within the first six weeks of the season. It starts in Denver in Week 3 against the Rams on Sunday Night Football, followed by a road trip to face the 49ers in Week 4, then the Seahawks at Mile High in Week 6 on Thursday Night Football.

After that gauntlet, the Broncos get an NFC West reprieve by drawing the Arizona Cardinals on the road in Week 7. When the schedule first dropped, I did a way-too-early game-by-game prediction and had the Broncos going 2-2 against the NFC West, but times have changed.

As I said then, I reserved the right to alter my predictions and outlook after I see how things take shape in training camp and the preseason. My new prediction is much bolder: the Broncos go 3-1, with their only loss coming on the road against the 49ers in Week 4.

J.K. Dobbins Doesn't Stay Healthy for All 17 but Still Notches 1,000 Yards

Dobbins has 'pinky promised' to stay healthy for all 17 games this season. But it's not something he can control, especially as a running back, and considering his injury history, we'd be remiss to count on it happening.

However, I predict that Dobbins avoids the type of major injuries that would cost him multiple games or end his season. He'll miss a game here or there, but not enough to prevent him from notching the first 1,000-yard rushing season of his career.

Dobbins and the ground attack will be crucial to the Broncos weathering the first eight weeks, and new offensive coordinator Davis Webb showed us in training camp that he's fully commited to a physical run game. Dobbins will get a lot of work, and the stats will add up.

Riley Moss Leads Broncos in Interceptions

Wait, what? We're talking about Moss here, a player who has exactly two career interceptions in the NFL. I know, I know.

Two things: 1. Moss seems to have turned a corner in his development, showing down the stretch last season that he can avoid the penalty problem that had previously plagued him. 2. The Broncos have a newfound focus on taking the ball away, and Moss has really worked to hone this aspect of his game.

Plus, Moss looked insanely good in camp and the preseason. He's a man on a mission.

Moss is playing on an expiring contract and the Broncos have yet to extend him. Motivated to show out in a contract year, he leads the Broncos with four interceptions this season.

Two 1,000-Yard Receivers

Courtland Sutton is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, but Jaylen Waddle hasn't been over that milestone since the 2023 season. Both players have exactly three 1,000-yard campaigns in their respective careers, but they make it to four in 2026, and they do so together.

Sutton will finish just over 1,000 yards, but he'll have more touchdowns — something like seven or eight scores. Waddle will get closer to 1,200 yards and he'll have six touchdowns.

Believe it or not, the last time the Broncos had two 1,000-yard receivers in the same season was in 2016 when the late Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders both eclipsed the milestone, catching passes from Trevor Siemian. It's happened several times throughout Broncos history, but Sutton and Waddle become the latest duo to total 1,000-plus yards in the same season.

Waddle Gets the First Pro Bowl Nod of His Career

It's kind of crazy, but Waddle has never been elected to the Pro Bowl, despite eclipsing the 1,000-yard milestone in each of his first three seasons. His second year was insane, when he totaled 1,356 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging a whopping 18.1 yards per reception.

With Bo Nix passing him the ball in an offense now coordinator by an innovative mind like Webb, Waddle's production rises again and his big-play propensity is exploited regularly by the Broncos. Waddle played second fiddle to Tyreek Hill for much of his career in Miami, and while he'll be sharing the spotlight with Sutton, they're two very different receivers, but both will have a key role in the offense.

Waddle gets his first-ever Pro Bowl nod this year as a regular on the weekend highlight reels.

Nix Cracks 4,000 Passing Yards & 30-Plus TDs

Nix has averaged nearly 3,853 passing yards and 27 touchdowns through his two NFL seasons. That was without Waddle in the arsenal.

Waddle's arrival, combined with Webb's play-calling and Nix's natural development, sees the Broncos' quarterback blow past the 4,000-yard milestone this season. Nix becomes the second Broncos quarterback to ever eclipse the 30-touchdown mark, joining Peyton Manning in that rarefied department.

Manning exceeded 30 passing touchdowns in three of his four seasons as a Bronco, including his 2013 MVP season when he tossed 55 of them and totaled 5,477 passing yards, both of which still stand as NFL single-season records. Nix doesn't come close to the 50 territory, but he makes it to the Broncos' 30 club, tossing 36 touchdowns.

Believe it or not, John Elway never passed for 30 touchdowns in his 16 seasons with the Broncos. The Hall-of-Famer's career high was 27, set in 1997.

Broncos Extend Three Players at the Bye

The Broncos' bye this year is Week 10. GM George Paton likes to get extensions done during the bye week, because it allows the Broncos to see how certain candidates perform in-season and rewards them during the break.

Unlike the past few summers, Paton didn't get any extensions done this year. Now, there's always the chance that could change between now and Week 1, but I'm not feeling it.

Instead, Paton gets his extensions done this year at the bye, re-signing Moss, receiver/returner Marvin Mims Jr., and defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike. That leaves a few other deserving Broncos out, like cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian and safety Brandon Jones, but that's a bridge Paton ultimately crosses ahead of the new league year in the spring.

Broncos Win the AFC West Again

Don't write off the Chiefs; last year was an aberration. Kansas City is going to be back with a vengeance, but this isn't the AFC West of yesteryear. The Broncos are the team to beat.

The Los Angeles Chargers are going to be a factor, as they've been since Jim Harbaugh arrived in 2023. But that team always finds a way to... well, 'Charger' when it matters most.

The AFC West will come down to the Broncos and Chiefs, and while Denver has a first-place schedule this year, the fact that all of its division rivals have to face the AFC East and the NFC West levels the playing field. The first team to 10 wins this year could take the AFC West, but I expect the Broncos to finish with 12 victories.

The Broncos go 12-5, winning the AFC West, while the Chiefs and the Chargers make the playoffs as Wildcard teams. It would be the 17th division title in Broncos history.