Denver Broncos 2026 NFL Season Preview, Betting Markets, Odds, Picks & Predictions
The Denver Broncos were arguably one Bo Nix ankle injury away from a Super Bowl berth at minimum last winter, and head coach Sean Payton is therefore undoubtedly setting his team’s sights on reaching the mountaintop in 2026. The trade with the Dolphins for Jaylen Waddle certainly speaks to those types of expectations, as the 2021 sixth overall pick of the Dolphins gives Denver a legitimate No. 2 receiver that has been successful as the top option in an air attack before.
Waddle could prove to be the missing piece in an offense that already affords Nix skill-position assets such as J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant, Marvin Mims and Evan Engram. Nix should be back to full health by the start of the regular season, and given he’ll be entering his third season in the NFL and under Payton, he could be ready to fully blossom into the star he’s often teased developing into over his first pair of campaigns. The one wild card early will be how well former QB and rookie play caller Davis Webb runs the offense, after Payton opted to cede those critical duties to him this offseason.
The defense was already borderline elite a season ago, allowing the third-fewest points (18.3) and second-fewest total yards (278.2) per game Denver also led the NFL in sacks by a wide margin with 68, and the same aggressive approach will persist this season under returning defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. The unit will benefit from plenty of continuity, including in a fearsome front seven spearheaded by Nik Bonitto, who has a combined 27.5 sacks the last two seasons, and in the Patrick Surtain-led secondary that recorded 10 interceptions last season and surrendered just 187.2 passing yards per game during the regular campaign.
2026 Denver Broncos Super Bowl Odds
The Broncos’ odds in multiple markets are intriguing in terms of the potential value they offer, and that’s exemplified by their No. 13 slotting on the Super Bowl Winner leaderboard. A team that has a highly convincing argument for having been a Super Bowl participant last season had it not been for Nix’s untimely injury is getting curiously little respect from oddsmakers, and that’s factoring in a healthy Nix and a major offseason addition in an area of need, that being Waddle. The offense also boasts a potential breakout star in Bryant, while the defense has the talent to remain elite. As such, I’m certainly in the camp of taking a shot on this bet.
Bet: Yes
2026 Denver Broncos AFC Championship Odds
The theme of underestimation weaves its way into this market as well, as the Broncos hold only the seventh-shortest odds in the AFC Conference Winner market. The Ravens, Bills, Patriots, Chiefs, Chargers and Texans slot in ahead of Denver at present, and there’s an argument to be made Denver will finish with a better record than several of those teams by regular season’s end, and that it could knock any of them off in the postseason. Quality defense wins championships, including conference titles, and we’re once again grabbing some value by taking this bet.
Bet: Yes
2026 Denver Broncos AFC West Odds
The Broncos once again are an underdog in this market, as their odds of capturing the AFC West crown are longer than those of the Chiefs and Chargers despite last season’s 14-3 division-winning mark. The AFC West could well prove to be the toughest division in the conference, at minimum, and every team but the Raiders has a legitimate shot at finishing the regular season atop the mountain. However, a bet on the Broncos here offers the best value of the three contenders, putting it firmly in play.
Bet: Yes
2026 Denver Broncos Win Total Odds
Here we go again. A 14-win team a year ago, the Broncos’ win total line sits at 9.5 for 2026. A host of young players primed to take the next step, including a healthy Nix, and an explosive, difference-making veteran in Waddle all support the notion of a double-digit-win season, while adding the Broncos defense to that mix makes a 12-to-13 victory tally a possibility. The schedule does have some unforgiving components — beginning with Denver’s division opponents — but there’s also games against the Cardinals, Panthers, Raiders, Dolphins and Jets on tap that put me firmly in the direction of the Over.
Bet: Over
2026 Denver Broncos To Make The Playoffs Odds
There’s just a single team — the Bears — separating the Broncos from plus-money odds in this market, which naturally catches the eye. As already discussed at length, the Broncos have a quality team on either side of the ball, and they’re not besieged by an inordinate amount of questions. Provided good health, Payton’s squad has the horses to get into the postseason, even if it’s not as the AFC West winner. The current odds are -145, however, so we’ll pass but it seems more of a layup than the given expense.
Bet: No
2026 Denver Broncos MVP Award Odds & Contenders
- Bo Nix
Nix, who beat the odds to become a starter right out of the chute in his rookie 2024 season, has now garnered 34 games of regular-season experience and another two in the postseason, and he could therefore be ready to move into the very upper echelon at his position this season. Nix has already thrown for 7,706 yards with a 54:23 TD:INT in his first two seasons, and he’s added 786 rushing yards and nine touchdowns during those first regular campaigns. With Sutton, Waddle, Franklin and Bryant forming a fearsome foursome atop the receiver depth chart, a pair of capable pass catchers out of the backfield in Dobbins and Harvey and a trusted tight end in Evan Engram, Nix has the weapons to produce MVP-caliber numbers.
Bet: Bo Nix
2026 Denver Broncos Schedule
- Week 1 – at Kansas City, 8:15 p.m. (MNF) – ESPN
- Week 2 – vs. Jacksonville, 4:05 p.m. – CBS
- Week 3 – vs. LA Rams, 8:20 p.m. (SNF) – NBC
- Week 4 – at San Francisco, 4:25 p.m. – CBS
- Week 5 – at LA Chargers, 4:05 p.m. – CBS
- Week 6 – vs. Seattle, 8:15 p.m. (TNF) – APVO
- Week 7 – at Arizona, 4:05 p.m. – CBS
- Week 8 – vs. Kansas City, 4:25 p.m. – CBS
- Week 9 – at Carolina, 1:00 p.m. – CBS
- Week 10 – BYE
- Week 11 – vs. Las Vegas, 4:25 p.m. – CBS
- Week 12 – at Pittsburgh, 3:00 p.m. – APVO
- Week 13 – vs. Miami, 4:05 p.m. – FOX
- Week 14 – at NY Jets, 1:00 p.m. – CBS
- Week 15 – at Las Vegas, 4:25 p.m. – CBS
- Week 16 – vs. Buffalo, 4:30 p.m. – Netflix
- Week 17 – at New England, TBD
- Week 18 – vs. LA Chargers, TBD
Top Options For NFL Prediction Market Trading
Sign Up & Unlock Your Offer at FanDuel Predicts
Make Predictions on Real World Events Right in Your Phone
Trade on Sports to Culture, Financials, Crypto and More
Deposit $10, Get a $20 Trading Bonus
Live Trade with the Biggest Payouts at the Largest Prediction Market in the World
Use Bonus Code: LINEUPS
America's #1 Sports Prediction Market
Same Sports Moments, Bigger Payouts
Choose from Straights, Player Props, Parlays & More
Use Exclusive Code: LINEUPS
Complete a Task in the Crypto.com App to Unlock up to 1 Bitcoin Worth of CRO Rewards
America’s All-In-One Trading Platform
Manage Your Crypto, Stocks, Predictions & Card Spend Seamlessly
Get $150 in Bonuses Paid Over 14 Days
DraftKings is Now Available Nationwide
Browse Markets like Sports, Crypto, Tech & More
Photo Credit: REUTERS
