- Jaylen Waddle adds another dimension: Waddle has earned PFF receiving grades above 80.0 in three of the past four seasons and gives Denver a speed complement to Courtland Sutton.
- Denver returns an elite foundation: The Broncos bring back all five key starters from PFF’s top-ranked offensive line and a defense featuring Nik Bonitto, Zach Allen and Pat Surtain II.
- Last Chance! The PFF Early Bird Sale Ends Aug. 17: Save 33% and get PFF+ for just $79.99, our lowest price of the year.
The Denver Broncos enjoyed a remarkable 2025 season, finishing 14-3 to win the AFC West and secure the No. 1 seed in the conference. They defeated the Buffalo Bills at home in the divisional round but lost quarterback Bo Nix to injury in the process, then fell 10-7 to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.
With Nix healthy again, Denver has every reason to believe it can contend for the AFC's top spot once more and potentially go a step further in 2026.
Here's our 2026 preview of the Denver Broncos.
Key Free Agency/Trade Additions
| Position | Player | 2025 PFF Grade |
|---|---|---|
| WR | Jaylen Waddle | 84.0 |
| S | Tycen Anderson | N/A |
For the most part, it was a quiet offseason for the Broncos, but they made one major splash by adding wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. The sixth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft is coming off another strong season and has earned PFF receiving grades above 80.0 in three of the past four years.
Waddle's ability to win with speed makes him an excellent complement to Courtland Sutton, who caught 17 contested targets across the regular season and playoffs in 2025. Together, they give Denver two receivers who can win in very different ways.
2026 NFL Draft Class
| Position | Player | 2025 PFF Grade |
|---|---|---|
| DI | Tyler Onyedim | 71.9 |
| HB | Jonah Coleman | 82.1 |
| OT | Kage Casey | 80.0 |
| TE | Justin Joly | 77.9 |
| S | Miles Scott | 77.0 |
| TE | Dallen Bentley | 76.9 |
| LB | Red Murdock | 91.1 |
Without a first- or second-round draft pick, it is difficult to find an immediate-impact player in the draft, and it won’t be a surprise to see limited contributions from the Broncos’ rookies in 2026. There’s still plenty to like about this class, though.
Running back Jonah Coleman earned PFF grades above 80.0 in all four of his college seasons across stints at Arizona and Washington. He forced 174 missed tackles on 551 carries, with 4.1 of his 5.5 yards-per-carry average coming after contact.
Tight end Justin Joly caught at least 40 passes in each of the past three seasons and averaged at least 1.75 yards per route run in each of the past four. He is excellent at the catch point, dropping just 5.7% of his catchable targets while producing a 66.0% contested-catch rate.
Reasons for optimism
The Broncos finished the 2025 season with PFF’s top-ranked offensive line and return their five best players up front in 2026. Left guard Ben Powers was the lowest-graded starter on the offensive line last year, and his 64.0 PFF grade still ranked 15th among left guards. Meanwhile, right guard Quinn Meinerz was the highest-graded guard in football, while Garett Bolles ranked fourth among left tackles.
They also have a tremendous defense, with rookie cornerback Jahdae Barron the only player on that side of the ball to earn a PFF grade below 60.0 while playing 300 or more snaps. The defense was highlighted by the pass-rushing ability of edge defender Nik Bonitto and interior defender Zach Allen, who combined for 164 pressures across the regular season and playoffs, as well as cornerback Pat Surtain II, who allowed just 37 receptions into his coverage over that same span.
Reason for pessimism
The Broncos simply don’t have many weaknesses on either side of the ball. If you were being picky, you could argue that an offensive line as good as theirs would benefit from having a truly elite running back behind it.
What will likely define their season, though, is how big of a step forward Bo Nix can take in his third year. He has already improved his PFF passing grade from 73.8 as a rookie to 76.1 in Year 2, while his big-time throw rate climbed from 3.7% to 5.0%. Another jump in 2026 could be what takes an already talented Broncos roster to the next level.
Breakout Candidate
Rookie running back RJ Harvey had a solid debut season, earning a 69.6 PFF rushing grade across 165 carries while showcasing his big-play ability with runs of 38, 40 and 50 yards. He also contributed in the passing game, with his 1.40 yards per route run ranking 11th among the 43 running backs with at least 30 carries.
With J.K. Dobbins and rookie Jonah Coleman sharing the backfield, Harvey is unlikely to take on a true workhorse role. However, he has the talent to emerge as Denver’s best running back in his second NFL season.
Key roster battles
With the Broncos having used a first-round pick on cornerback Jahdae Barron, it would be disappointing if he weren’t playing a significant role by the end of Year 2. He obviously isn’t going to take snaps away from Pat Surtain II, leaving his clearest paths onto the field ahead of Riley Moss on the outside or Ja’Quan McMillan in the slot.
Neither player will be easy to displace. McMillan earned a 78.9 PFF coverage grade last season, while Moss led the team with 15 pass breakups. Both are set to become free agents after the season, so Barron may simply have to bide his time, but his role will be worth monitoring throughout the summer.
© 2026 PFF - all rights reserved.