Five Bold Predictions for the Broncos in 2026

The start of the 2026 NFL season is rapidly approaching, and optimism surrounding the Denver Broncos continues to build. After winning their first playoff game since Super Bowl 50, the Broncos spent the offseason strengthening an already talented roster by acquiring star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and adding several intriguing rookies through the NFL Draft. Expectations are higher than they’ve been in years, but so are the challenges awaiting Denver in a loaded AFC.

With training camp just around the corner, now feels like the perfect time to make a few bold predictions for the season ahead. These aren’t the safest projections or the most likely outcomes, but each has a realistic path to becoming reality. If several of these predictions come true, the Broncos could find themselves enjoying their most successful season in over a decade.

1. Bo Nix Earns His First Pro Bowl Selection and Receives MVP Votes

Bo Nix has enjoyed an impressive start to his NFL career, but there are still milestones left for him to reach. Through his first two seasons, he has yet to eclipse 4,000 passing yards or throw 30 touchdown passes in a single season. That changes in 2026.

The acquisition of Jaylen Waddle gives Nix another dynamic playmaker capable of turning routine completions into explosive gains. Davis Webb enters his first season as Denver’s offensive coordinator after spending the previous two years helping develop Nix as the Broncos’ quarterbacks coach, ensuring continuity within Sean Payton’s offensive system. Meanwhile, an offensive line anchored by Garett Bolles and Quinn Meinerz should once again rank among the league’s best after allowing the fewest sacks in football last season.

Everything is in place for Nix to take the biggest leap of his young career. Surpassing 4,000 passing yards and 30 touchdown passes would almost certainly earn him his first Pro Bowl selection while placing him on the fringe of the MVP conversation. He may not win the award, but don't be surprised if his name appears on a handful of ballots when the season comes to a close.

2. Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle Both Top 1,000 Receiving Yards

Courtland Sutton has quietly reestablished himself as one of the NFL’s most dependable receivers, posting back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns over the past two seasons. Jaylen Waddle, meanwhile, already owns three 1,000-yard seasons despite playing alongside Tyreek Hill for much of his career. Together, they give Denver one of the league’s most talented receiving duos.

Some may wonder whether there are enough targets available for both players to reach four figures, but history suggests it’s more than possible. During the Broncos’ Super Bowl-winning 2015 season and the 2016 campaign that followed, Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders each surpassed 1,000 receiving yards despite inconsistent quarterback play. Denver accomplished that feat then, and this Broncos offense has the potential to be even more explosive.

The biggest difference is the quarterback. If Bo Nix develops into the player many believe he can become, there is little reason to think Sutton and Waddle cannot each eclipse 1,000 receiving yards. Achieving that milestone would be another sign that Denver has finally built one of the AFC’s most dangerous passing attacks.

3. Jonah Coleman Leads the Broncos in Rushing Yards and Rushing Touchdowns

Denver didn’t draft Jonah Coleman in the fourth round simply to watch him stand on the sideline. Coleman averaged an impressive 5.5 yards per carry across four collegiate seasons, including 1,053 rushing yards in 2024. His compact build, physical running style, and ability to consistently fall forward should remind Broncos fans of C.J. Anderson.

J.K. Dobbins enters the season as Denver’s starting running back, but Sean Payton has rarely relied on a single workhorse throughout his coaching career. A committee approach should help keep Dobbins fresh over the course of a 17-game season while creating opportunities for Coleman to carve out a meaningful role. Meanwhile, RJ Harvey projects as more of an explosive change-of-pace option than a traditional between-the-tackles runner, making Coleman the logical candidate to handle many of the tougher rushing attempts.

Coleman doesn’t need Dobbins to miss significant time to lead the Broncos in rushing. His physical running style could also make him the team’s preferred goal-line option after scoring 25 rushing touchdowns across his final two collegiate seasons, including 15 in 2025. By season’s end, don't be surprised if Coleman leads Denver in both rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.

4. The Broncos Allow the Fewest Points in the NFL

Denver fielded one of the NFL’s best defenses in 2025, surrendering just 311 points, the third-fewest in the league. The Broncos also held opponents to 17 points or fewer nine times. With most of that unit returning intact, another elite defensive season should be expected.

Patrick Surtain II continues to set the standard as the league’s premier shutdown cornerback, capable of taking an opposing team’s top receiving threat out of the game. Meanwhile, Nik Bonitto and Zach Allen headline one of the NFL’s most disruptive pass-rushing units. Those stars, combined with Denver’s depth throughout the defense, should once again make life difficult for opposing offenses.

Climbing from third to first won’t be easy, but the Broncos have all the pieces to make it happen. If the pass rush continues to harass opposing quarterbacks while Surtain and the secondary limit explosive plays, Denver could finish the 2026 season with the NFL's top scoring defense. That’s exactly the kind of unit capable of carrying a team on a deep playoff run.

5. Sean Payton Wins AP NFL Coach of the Year

Sean Payton is one of the most accomplished head coaches of his generation, but he has surprisingly won the AP NFL Coach of the Year award just once. That honor came during his first season with the New Orleans Saints in 2006, when he orchestrated one of the league’s most remarkable turnarounds. Nearly two decades later, Payton has another opportunity to add to his résumé.

Payton was a finalist for the award in 2024 after leading the Broncos to their first playoff appearance since 2015, and Denver has continued to build on that success. If Bo Nix develops into a Pro Bowl quarterback, Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle both eclipse 1,000 receiving yards, Jonah Coleman provides a spark in the running game, and the Broncos field the NFL’s top scoring defense, Denver could be in position to capture a third consecutive playoff berth and a second straight AFC West title. That type of season would make Payton one of the favorites for the award.

Winning AP NFL Coach of the Year would be another milestone in Payton’s remarkable coaching career. It would also make him just the second head coach in Broncos history to receive the honor, further cementing the turnaround he has engineered since arriving in Denver. If the Broncos enjoy the kind of season these predictions envision, don’t be surprised if Payton is taking home the hardware once again.